Global means local

We’re often approached by companies from outside the UK that have already started a campaign to penetrate the UK market. They’ve often been disappointed by the initial response to a previous UK campaign created by their in-house team. We’ve started to recognise a number of common factors behind each of those disappointments and what companies looking to work across borders can do to maximise the effectiveness of their messaging internationally.

There’s a great article here from Freedman International that goes into some detail but I thought I’d summarise it here in relation to our own experience and insights. But if you’ve got the time we’d recommend you take a look.

Local knowledge is everything. It’s not just about knowing the language or being interested in the culture and history of a particular place, it’s about having in-depth local knowledge about modes of communication, the tastes and prejudices of different market segments, the tone of voice, sense of humour, cultural reference points, metaphors, idioms, traditions. In-market expertise is essential.

Even visuals, every country has different visual reference points and preferences. You can’t just lift a campaign in its entirety that has functioned there and make it work here. The same goes for slogans and messaging. Modes of speech are so specific in the English speaking world. Don’t get us started on the number of times we’ve heard video for the UK voiced with an AI generated generic ‘American’ accent. If you’re trying to create trust with your audience you really can’t afford to use the wrong mode of communication and if you’re trying to use humour … Please, please don’t rely on Chat Gpt to generate irony!

Adapt, yes. Transfer, no.