Core principles & tactics to steer clear of cross-cultural/boundary marketing mistakes that can damage your brand or marketing program. Presentation delivered at PCMA Convening Leaders 2011 annual convention. Written by Jeannine Woodyear and Oliver Hone

1. Cross Cultural Marketing: Intention vs. Perception

3. Identify and repair marketing mistakes that caused cultural offense to a specific culture.

5. 9 tactical considerations

6. Fixing the blunders

7. Final thoughts

10. Events marketing has to appeal to a much wider catchment area than ever before

11. Must create buy in and empathy, not remove it or put target audience off

16. No - Va “WON’T GO”

18. What does it mean to be cross-cultural? (what doesn’t it mean?)

19. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ojqMGlqYHPg

20. 5 Principles for Cross Cultural Effectiveness in Marketing

21. 5 Principles for Cross-Cultural Effectiveness Context is King Time-zones Matter When in Rome… What Happens in Vegas, Doesn’t Stay in Vegas The Consumer is in Control

22. 5 Principles for Cross Cultural Effectiveness in Marketing Context is King: everything about a person’s past impacts how they see the world…and your communications

25. Microsoft sponsors Jiad? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G69l0kjZQTg

30. A 24 hour deadline in North America is not 24 hours in Europe/Asia.

31. To get someone on the phone in, Tokyo, you may have to do all your calling and/or meetings at night

32. Consider adding live moderators across time-zones broadcasts. It’s not being doing systematically and thus a great opportunity2. Time-zones Matter

35. Latin American and other audiences value personal invite over “why not come?” direct mail

39. Tailor to markets accordingly if possible

40. Never go lowest common denominator

42. 33

46. Love Loathe Loathe Love Loathe

48. Tactical Considerations

49. 9 Tactical Considerations Language Historical and cultural sensitivities Flags, maps, geography, naming Politics and religion Risqué material Stereotypes: racial, ethnic, cultural, or religious Symbols and symbolism Color Numbers

50. Tactical Considerations Language

52. 7 Tactical Considerations 2. Historical and cultural sensitivities Are particular teams represented in the image? If so, are they teams that are actually participating in this event? Do the countries/regions have a mutual history that could result in this image being interpreted as commentary on a historical event, or a current situation?

53. 7 Tactical Considerations 3. Flags, maps, geography: are often sensitive symbols of identity There are many types of flags with meanings relating to nationality, politics, sports, education, fictional entities, etc. Avoid showing or describing flags or national symbols, except when absolutely necessary to the point you are making. e.g. China/TW; India/Kashmir; Israel/Palestine Do not use flags or national symbols to represent languages since many languages are spoken in several countries.. e.g. Canada, Belgium, Switzerland Accurately reflect continents and multinational regions in which countries reside (e.g. use Asia or SE Asia not Far East or Orient)

56. Understand political/cultural issues that can be sensitive or polarizing

57. The crescent moon and star, used together, are a symbol of Islam.

59. The future’s bright the future’s orange

62. 5. Risque Material Tactical Considerations

63. 5. Risqué Material: avoid showing people in revealing clothing (e.g arms, legs) or activities Tactical Considerations http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6xlFp2Oku6s&has_verified=1

64. Women Realizing Full Potential?

66. 6. Stereotypes: racial, ethnic, cultural, or religious Be aware of gender specific roles in various cultures Avoid associating values with certain traits (for example, if the heroes in a game all have one trait while the villains share a different trait)

67. Can you spot the cross-cultural issue?

69. Disrespectful imagery. Sexist. Stereotyping and discriminating by age.

73. Do not use national symbols to represent language, since there is often not a one-to-one association.

74. Historical symbols also can be highly sensitive, and they should be researched thoroughly before being used. Tactical Considerations

76. Avoid using color to convey meaning. This includes using color as metaphor, such as “red alert.”

77. Avoid using color in ways that are considered derogatory, such as referring to villains as “black hats.” Similarly, avoid using a yellow tint to portray the skin color of Asian people.

78. Do not use color as the only way to differentiate content.There is no color that needs to be avoided in every case, but it is important to ensure that colors are used appropriately in context – for example Euro advertising favors “white space” which represents mourning in Asian culture… Tactical Considerations

79. 9. Numbers: Just like colors, there are a number of cultural taboos around the use of numbers. Eg. while the number 4 does not invoke feelings of fear in the US and much of the Western world… In Japan and China the number symbolizes death. In Japan the number 9 is equally unlucky. Although the number 7 is lucky in much of the world, the number 8 is especially auspicious in China. The US and much of Europe the number 13 has historically been avoided Tactical Considerations

80. Fixing Blunders

82. Final Thoughts Be aware Do your research If possible recruit a local agency in key markets If not look to local contacts to help you with inside information before starting Remember the language and beware straight translation Where possible, do make it as localized as possible If it has to work globally, avoid the tendency to go lowest common denominator

83. So, can we help more?