FAQ: Should a global marketing campaign be translated or localised?
The goal of a global marketing campaign is to both reach and engage audiences around the world while maintaining a consistent brand identity. It’s important to strike a balance between global consistency and local relevance — this means adapting messaging, visuals, and/or delivery methods to align with local cultures, languages, and consumer habits.
Whether your company is launching a product simultaneously worldwide or running a universal brand message across markets, a global marketing campaign will help your brand to build a unified global presence while still connecting with local audiences.
So you will need to adapt your global marketing campaign, that is certain. But do you need translation or localisation? Well, the short answer is both! But let’s start by briefly explaining the difference:
- Translation = converting text word-for-word into another language.
- Localisation = adapting content to fit the cultural, linguistic, and even emotional context of a specific market.
Why localisation matters
- Cultural relevance – Idioms, humour, values, even colours can mean different things in different cultures. What works in the US might flop in Japan or Brazil unless it’s adapted for the target culture.
- Consumer trust – People are far more likely to engage with a brand that speaks to them directly.
- Higher conversion rates – A localised call-to-action will better resonate with the people of each market.
- Avoids offence – Mistranslations can be embarrassing at best, and brand-killing at worst.
When translation might be sufficient
- Internal documents
- Technical product specifications
- Engineering installation guides or manuals
- Global legal disclaimers
Here’s a few real-world examples of hits and misses within localisation vs translation. (Some of these are marketing legends!)
Related topic: How Language Barriers Impact Customer Retention Rates
Localisation done right
Coca-Cola – the “Share a Coke” campaign
- What they did: Localised the names on bottles by region. In Australia, it started with common Aussie names like “Matt” and “Jess.” In China, where using given names isn’t culturally common, they shifted the concept to nicknames and relationship terms like “Classmate” or “Bestie.”
- Why it worked: They didn’t just translate the campaign concept — they adapted the cultural concept of naming.
McDonald’s – local menus
- What they did: They offered (amongst others) McAloo Tikki burgers in India, Teriyaki Burgers in Japan, and Halal-certified food in Muslim countries.
- Why it worked: They localised their entire product and messaging to match the regional dietary preferences and cultural expectations — not just the language.
Airbnb – the “Belong Anywhere” tagline
- What they did: Localised the phrase “Belong Anywhere” into messages that reflected the idea of “home” specific to each culture. For example, in Japan, the campaign tapped into themes of harmony and respect, while in Latin America, it emphasised community and connection.
- Why it worked: They used the same global idea, but gave it a locally meaningful application.
Find out more: Before you Start the Localisation Process
Translation fails
Pepsi in China
- Original slogan: “Come alive with the Pepsi Generation.”
- Translation: In Chinese, it reportedly became “Pepsi brings your ancestors back from the grave.” OMG! Nice trick it you can do it!
- Lesson: Spiritual contexts matter — and (especially in English » Chinese) literal translation doesn’t cut it.
KFC in China
- Original slogan: “Finger-lickin’ good.”
- Translation: “Eat your fingers off.”
- Lesson: Not only did this sound gross, it lost the fun, indulgent vibe of the original. It didn’t feel like KFC anymore.
Ford in Belgium
- Original slogan: “Every car has a high-quality body.”
- Translation: Came out as “Every car has a high-quality corpse.”
- Lesson: Even simple product features can go sideways if local idioms and meanings aren’t considered.
When it comes to a global marketing campaign — taglines, slogans, ads, social media content — localisation is key. Contact us for a free consultation, or a quote.