Solomon Thimothy is the Founder of Clickx, where he works with agencies and clients to develop predictable and scalable growth strategies.
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I’ve been in the digital agency business for 15 years. In that time, we’ve served clients spanning from the Upper East Side all the way to Southern California. On a broader scale, we’ve contributed to advertising and marketing campaigns from European countries to luxury markets in Dubai. Each city has its own cultural norms, desires and key market influences. I could expand on the former, but for now we’ll focus on how advertising differs on a global scale.
The first thing to consider in all advertising campaigns (be it online, print or email) is the goal of your communication. Are you trying to build a connection with your audience? Sell them, empathize with their problems, educate them? Always start with the outcome.
Second, consider the tone of your message with your goal outcome. Are you looking to entertain your audience? If so, don’t be afraid to use a little slang — as long as it makes sense. Alcohol beverage brands, for example, have done a great job of incorporating moderation as an alternative to heavy partying. There has been an increase in sales of non-alcoholic beverages and consumers are able to purchase the brands that promote a healthy lifestyle.
Third, consider cultural sensitivities. You have to be empathetic to what the norm is and what each region considers safe versus crossing the line. Let’s expand on these and other items you should consider when creating culture-friendly campaigns.
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Consider language barriers.
Are you marketing to populations with many different linguistic backgrounds? Don’t run the risk of sabotaging your brand by taking a stab at what might hit a mark.
Take the time to do your research. Learn the history, norms, likes and dislikes of each region. If time is your most precious resource, hire a native language speaker from that region to help you or your team keep the message on its mark.
Find out what your audience values.
Does your target audience strive for self-actualization? Do they have the means to branch off and chase their deepest desires? Alternatively, is the norm in that region to blend in, go with the crowd and make decisions as a collective?
Simultaneously, how big is the problem that you’re trying to solve? For example, countries that have lesser means may consider the scale of a problem to be much less than a country whose nuisances can be solved by a certain product or service.
Understand cultural norms.
Breaking a cultural norm can be a big no-no on your brand’s image if you don’t take the time to do your homework and figure out which messages could potentially rub your audience the wrong way. For example, it is a common practice for individuals in France to kiss each other on the cheek when first meeting one another, whereas in America a handshake is the most common way of greeting someone.
What we consider normal in the U.S. can be very odd for other countries and vice versa. If you have the ability, ask locals, interview your consumers and understand where to draw the line in your campaigns. Focus groups, research and simple observations can go a long way.
Know your audience inside and out.
Possibly most important to remember is to avoid stereotypes. Within each culture, there will be subcultures. There will be groups wanting to expand, change and evolve and those who will want to stick with what has always been.
Consider a multitude of factors when orchestrating your messaging. How do climate, family, friends and each individual’s hierarchy of needs shape their worldview? Advertising for diverse populations should not only help you learn and connect with new audiences, but should also help you create connections across borders.
Consider the medium and experiment.
Advertising and marketing, all in all, is experimentation. That being said, don’t consider these target market definitions as the law but structures for you to start your campaigning off of. Use focus groups to see what makes people think, talk and take a second look at your messaging. After all, the goal is to go viral, and safe doesn’t always do that.
Just remember to educate yourself and always put being respectful first. Do your homework. Take the time to get to know your audience’s norms across varying age groups. Also, consider what mediums might allow for more forward-thinking messaging and how progressive individuals within the group can help spread your message.
Learn to connect the dots. From there, you’ll start hitting bull’s-eyes.
Forbes Agency Council is an invitation-only community for executives in successful public relations, media strategy, creative and advertising agencies. Do I qualify?
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Author: Solomon Thimothy, Forbes Councils Member
