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The impact of culture on marketing content: What marketers need to know
The impact of culture on marketing content: What marketers need to know
The impact of culture on marketing content: What marketers need to know
Although the Internet makes it easier for certain products and services to reach a global audience through strategic content development, understanding culture differences remains a key factor in creating more compelling content that crosses borders. I was born and raised in Haiti; upon graduating from high school, I relocated to the Dominican Republic, where I attended PUCCM and worked for seven years before moving to the United States.
From a young age, I developed an interest and a passion for traveling, and I have been fortunate to visit many countries across Asia, Europe, Africa, and North and South America. As a result of these travel experiences, I observed first-hand how people act, interpret and respond to different situations, influenced by their own cultural contexts. This helps me as a marketing professional to understand how various aspects are important to consider when developing marketing content for a more global reach.
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Many examples of marketing content development processes fail miserably when not considering cultural differences. Among the companies that failed to succeed internationally due to cultural differences are Pepsi and Coca-Cola. Initially, both beverage giants faced difficulties in China. As a way of emulating the original name, Coca-Cola named their product with a Chinese phrase. This new phrase, however, translated as "Bite the Wax Tadpole." and was not well received by the Chinese audience. Pepsi introduced a new slogan to the Chinese market. The slogan was "Pepsi brings you back to life." It turned out that the phrase translated as "Pepsi brings your ancestors back to life." Each company had to revamp its marketing campaigns in Chinese.
Our ability to communicate more effectively with customers across different markets and regions can be enhanced with a deeper understanding of key dimensions of culture. A culturally sensitive approach coupled with compelling messages can help businesses expand beyond borders. Professor Geert Hofstede, a pioneer in cross-border cultural differences research, identified six dimensions of culture in the 1970s that marketers may find helpful.
The Six Dimensions of Culture
Power Distance
Individualism
Masculinity
Uncertainty Avoidance
Long Term Orientation
Indulgence
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I recommend the following article, "Hofstede's Cultural Dimensions- Hofstede's 6 Cultural Dimensions Examples," if you want to dive deeper into the subject. In a comment, let me know what you think about the culture impact on marketing content.
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