How to Create Culturally Sensitive Marketing Campaigns

If you’re not uncomfortable, you’re not growing. For destinations to truly cater to culturally diverse visitors, stepping out of your comfort zone needs to be the norm. During my first visit to Toronto, I made a few stops—from CN Tower to Casa Loma. While planning and during the trip, I noticed something interesting. Some brands felt inclusive and respectful, while others, er...not so much. So, what did the inclusive brands get right? They offered: → Multilingual Content Websites, promo materials, and customer support in multiple languages beyond English and French was a breath of fresh air (I try to practice my limited Spanish when I can 😉). → Local Partnerships Brands collaborating with local guides to educate travelers on cultural nuances made a big difference in guests’ etiquette. → Food and Beverage Options Dining options catered to various dietary preferences, including halal, kosher, vegetarian, and vegan. → Inclusive Marketing Promo materials featured people from various ethnic backgrounds and cultures, making everyone feel seen. → Cultural Holidays and Festivals Offering activities and packages tied to holidays from around the world added a special touch. Yes, travelers should adapt to the places they visit, but destinations and brands can make it easier for them to do so. It’s a two-way street. 👉🏾 What other ways do you think brands and destinations can be more inclusive? >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Hi, I’m Sarah 🙋🏾♀️ I share: ✨ Actionable brand strategies to help travel, hospitality, & culture entrepreneurs attract their dream tribe. ✨ Tips for creative solopreneurs looking to grow their businesses. ❤️ this post? Follow and hit the 🔔 for more! 📸 Canadians (or Canadians at heart 😉 ), any recommendations for my next trip? Preferably outside of any major cities for some variety.

Multilingual email marketing is more than just translating words. It’s about crafting messages that resonate across cultures. Having led #emailstrategy for dynamic brands like Univision and NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises, I’ve seen the impact of blending cultural insights with technical savvy. These 5 strategies will help you craft multilingual content that resonates with the right people: ☑ Cultural Connection: Go beyond translated words on a screen. Tailor your content to reflect regional expressions and customs. ☑ Beyond Translation:  True engagement comes from authentic translation. Convey the right tone, context, and emotion in every language. ☑ Insightful Segmentation: Celebrate the diversity within your audience. Use demographic and behavioral data to fine-tune how you address different segments. ☑ Iterative Testing: Continuously test your campaigns. What resonates in one language may not in another. Pay attention to cultural nuances. ☑ List Hygiene: A clean list is crucial, especially when you're reaching out to a global audience. Thanks to ZeroBounce, who provided credits to try their email list validation tool, I’ve ensured that my clients' emails land in the right inboxes, paving the way for real connections. Engaging a multilingual audience is a rich and rewarding journey—one where each word can open doors to new worlds. 🌎 With the right strategies and tools, like those provided by ZeroBounce, your campaigns can become a passport to global engagement. Your turn: How do you ensure your emails resonate across different languages and cultures? #EmailMarketing #ListValidation #ListCleaning

What almost cost me $1 Million dollars??? In the interconnected world of global business, the nuances of cultural communication can make or break significant deals. Here’s a firsthand experience that underscored this reality for me, involving a well-known brand and a valuable lesson learned. 🌐 The Cultural Miscommunication I was working with a prestigious client, a brand familiar to most. My CTO, a brilliant mind from our DC office and originally from India, was the central figure in this narrative. In many cultures, including Indian English, "no worries" is a common phrase used to reassure and convey that everything is under control. However, in this high-stakes situation, when our client expressed stress over urgent website issues, my CTO responded with a well-intentioned "no worries." 🚨 The Impact of Two Words To the client, this response didn't convey urgency or empathy but rather indifference to a critical issue. This simple miscommunication almost cost us a million-dollar account. It was a stark reminder of how different cultures perceive words and expressions differently. 📚 The Valuable Lesson This incident taught us the importance of understanding and respecting cultural differences in business settings. It's not just about knowing your client's language but understanding how cultural contexts shape the interpretation of that language. 💡 Actionable Steps for Business Leaders Cultural Training: Invest in cultural competence training for your team. It’s crucial for anyone in a client-facing role to understand the different ways communication styles vary by culture. Clarify Communications: Encourage your team to seek clarification when in doubt about a client's responses or when communicating critical information. Lead with Empathy: Always tailor communication to reflect understanding and empathy. Ensure your team understands the gravity of the words they choose. 🤝 Embrace Cultural Diversity Understanding and leveraging cultural diversity can enhance your company’s relational dynamics and lead to more successful business outcomes. Let’s turn cultural differences into our competitive advantage. Have you ever faced a similar challenge in your business dealings? How did you navigate it? Share your stories below. #BusinessCommunication #CulturalDiversity #Leadership #GlobalBusiness

Cross-Border Multi-Cultural UX is one of my biggest passions. After consulting organizations in 50+ countries, I began to collect examples of how Hofstede's 6 Cultural Dimensions impact cross-cultural UX: 1. Power Distance Index → Cultural interpretation of institutions Though vastly different regions, users in Australia and Qatar share respect for government institutions. These countries emphasize citizens’ responsibilities over their preferences, resulting in more disciplined behavior on government websites. In Australia, you can vote online but will get fined if you don’t vote. 2. Individualism vs. Collectivism → Cultural interpretation of self-image Western countries tend to have an individualistic emphasis on “I.” In contrast, there’s a collective “we” focus in Eastern countries. For example, our UX work for a Middle Eastern CPG brand catered to female buyers who typically shop for their families. Consumers prioritized their families’ individual needs over collective needs, building shopping lists organized by family members. 3. Masculinity vs. Femininity → Cultural interpretation of gender norms Similarly, masculine and feminine perceptions and motivations differ between Western and more traditional Eastern cultures. We once worked with a Western designer who almost chose an image depicting a woman with tattoos wearing short sleeves for a client in the Middle East. This would have been perfectly fine in many regions but perceived as inappropriate there. For our work in seven states of the Persian Gulf, we had to go as far as to tailor keffiyeh (traditional men's headdress) on pictures for each region. 4. Uncertainty Avoidance Index → Cultural interpretation of security Trust and security are paramount in Italy, Portugal, Belgium, Japan, and Germany. Germans have high uncertainty avoidance and seek multiple reassurances about security, privacy, and return policies on e-commerce sites. The opposite is true in Swedish and Dutch users. The fewer rules, the better. “I will deal with the problem if and when the problem arises” is the typical approach. 5. Long-Term vs. Short-Term Orientation → Cultural interpretation of gratification Eastern cultures are open to delayed gratification. Users in China and South Korea tolerate lengthy forms and high interaction costs if it leads to better long-term outcomes. Americans, however, expect instant gratification and would be easily annoyed by what’s considered a norm in China. 6. Indulgence vs. Restraint → Cultural interpretation of needs and preferences Sometimes excess is considered a good experience. I liken this to Banchan's side dishes in South Korea and the bento box in Japan. “The more, the better” is often followed for UX in Asia (despite otherwise low indulgence preferences). The bento box has even become a design trend for organizing content of different types and “flavors”! Western users are overwhelmed by this type of density in UX. Their golden rule? Less is more.

I once worked with a client who was eager to expand their reach into a new international market. They were confident that their existing content would resonate with the local audience. However, what they didn't realize was that their messaging was culturally insensitive and inadvertently offensive to the new market. The client had inadvertently used imagery and language that were considered inappropriate or taboo in the target culture. This led to a backlash on social media and damaged their brand reputation. To rectify the situation, I conducted in-depth research into the cultural nuances of the target market. I used tools like Grammarly's tone detection feature to ensure our messaging was culturally appropriate and respectful. We worked closely with local experts to understand the cultural context and tailor our content accordingly. By carefully considering the cultural sensitivities of the target market, we were able to create content that resonated with the audience and helped rebuild the brand's reputation. The takeaway? Cultural sensitivity is crucial in today's globalized world. It's essential to conduct thorough research and adapt your messaging to the specific cultural context of your target audience. Have you ever faced a similar cultural misstep in your marketing campaigns?

DEI will not DIE unless we let it. Last year I introduced my 5C’s framework to creating culture-centric, impactful, diverse and inclusive brands. I challenge you all to apply these concepts to your personal brands and companies. If you’re interested in a real life example, check out the Topicals post pinned to my profile. Recap 💡Here are my 5C’s: Connection, Community, Culture, Consciousness and Cause. Here's how you can lead using the 5C's framework: 👉🏾 Connection: Establish emotional connections with your audience by highlighting diverse leadership and sharing authentic stories that resonate with their values and aspirations. Be genuine, only connect in ways that are authentic to your values and beliefs. 👉🏾 Community: Engage and grow your community through events and initiatives that promote inclusivity, belonging, and interaction among members. Get out in the communities. Listen and learn. Truly experience the communities you are wanting to engage with. 👉🏾Culture: Integrate cultural elements into your brand through strategic partnerships, social media content, and events that celebrate diverse cultural moments and icons. Become a true student of culture. Learn why ideas and beliefs were formed. Be able to speak to what shaped the culture. 👉🏾Consciousness: Prioritize ethical and sustainable practices in product development and business operations, ensuring transparency and commitment to environmental and social responsibility. 👉🏾Cause: Align your brand with meaningful causes that reflect your values and resonate with your audience, advocating for social issues and supporting relevant organizations through partnerships, donations, and awareness campaigns. DEI is more than putting a black face in a role or marketing campaign. #dei #diversityandinclusion