Customers appreciate and expect a brand to cater to their distinctive culture and circumstances. When it comes to brands, localising is about making the product and content sound authentic and creating a connection with the target audience. For example, Facebook, the giant technology conglomerate, failed to localise its content correctly and bore heavy consequences. In July 2020, Thailand’s Digital Economic and Society (DES) Ministry sent a letter to Facebook because of a mistranslated headline from English to Thai about the live broadcasting ceremony celebrating the King’s birthday. The translation sounded insulting in Thai, which ended up with the American tech giant deactivating the auto-translate feature on Facebook and Instagram while offering its apologies. Below are some factors to consider when localising your content:

  • Identifying linguistic preference: According to research by the California State University, 56.2% of consumers mentioned that the ability to obtain information in their own language is more important than price. Translating content into the local language can be the first step towards laying your brand’s foundation in the new market. However, to gain familiarity among domestic stakeholders, the brand must understand and utilise the linguistic factors that influence the language.
  • Understanding cultural norms and preferences: Like language, upholding cultural normalities and societal standards can increase a brand’s familiarity with the public. Understanding norms can lead to discovering new trends amongst public discourse, and capitalising on domestic fads and concerns can be highly effective when executed properly. ​A brand’s ability to properly adapt its marketing communications material ​to the target audience’s preferences​ enhances the brand’s personalisation of content and increases the effectiveness of future messages.
  • Understanding the media landscape and effective strategies: Communications strategies can deliver results which are sensational and viral, but the laws of the land and media vary from country to country. In America and Europe, it is common to see luxury car brands like BMW and Mercedes-Benz directly attacking each other in adverts; however, such attempts in Thailand could land the organisation with a lawsuit and a scrapped campaign. Understanding different aspects of a new market should signal the brand to understand viable new market strategies.

Identifying elements and factors that affect your brand’s communication effectiveness are vital in creating a successful communication strategy. At Midas PR, our consultants specialise in providing organisations with the best information and analysis to ensure they can accomplish their desired results. Visit our website at www.midas-pr.com today for more information or get in touch with us by email.