Marketing trends change so quickly in today’s ‘instant’ world that it can be difficult for businesses to keep ahead of their competition but there are some factors, specifically linked to translation and localisation, that businesses must be aware of if they want their international marketing strategy to be a success.
We’ve outlined the key points to consider when designing and formulating your international marketing strategy below:
1. Translating your Brand
Brand translation and localisation requires expert linguistic and cultural knowledge to ensure a consistent, accurate and efficient cross-over from one language, and country, to another.
Raising your brand profile, and improving brand faith, means appealing to consumers in way that resonates with them; understanding key trends that are particularly relevant to your potential customers is vital in order for this to be successful.
Sustainability is one key trend that consumers (particularly the younger generations) are becoming more aware of and businesses are now beginning to tailor their marketing strategy to this theme.
For instance, many bigger global brands are now creating taglines that link to sustainable themes such as, Unilever’s Lipton tea, with its ‘Drink Positive’ slogan which displays its links and support of the Rain Forest Alliance.
Creating taglines that resonate with an international audience isn’t always straightforward – often words don’t have a literal translation, or they may have multiple meanings in other languages.
By using a professional translation services provider you can be sure that the international marketing for your brand will be authentic, appealing and engaging.
2. Localising Design
Design elements and preferences change with time and location.
What works for one country does not necessarily work for another so ensuring your design concepts are suited to the location and culture you are targeting is essential.
For instance, in the UK we tend to use a predominantly Ariel based text formatting at size 11 for web content but in the Middle East there is a preference for using the Noto Naskh font as can be seen in the government of the UAE’s website here.
There is a growing trend in many countries for minimalist designs, with bold text, bright colours and geometric patterns but assuming these are transferable from one culture to another would be a mistake.
The following points highlight considerations required for design concepts in an international marketplace:
• Typography – bold is favoured at present, it especially appeals to millennials. Check out the subtle differences on our specific country-based websites for our UK site here and our Dubai based site here, as these show how we have localised our sites for each area.
• Colours – sticking with a main colour works well with the minimalist designs which are currently popular. However, ensure the colour(s) you choose do not have a negative connotation in a specific culture. For example, in the UK white is linked to purity, brides, and elegance, while in some Asian countries it denoted death. Metallic finishes are also popular at present and denote luxury while continuing the minimalist theme.
• Images – how we perceive an image is hugely influenced by our culture so ensuring you select appropriate images for your target market is vital to your success. Seek advice from a professional localisation specialist if you are not confident you know the cultural expectations linked to each country.
• Patterns – geometric shapes are currently in vogue. Shapes such as semi-circles, rectangles or squares displayed in monochrome give a striking, bold, energetic look to marketing materials and websites. As with colour, it is important to check if there are any associations linked to the selected shape and design before use as this too can change with location.
If you would like more information about design and marketing for an international audience, please contact us here.
You can also check out our design services here, or our localisation services here.
Recent Comments