Stop Translating, Start Understanding

Each year, thousands of products and services are launched globally. Yet, shockingly, up to 85% of international marketing efforts fail—and often not because of bad strategy, but because of intercultural misunderstandings. The illusion of a borderless world has led many companies to overlook the role of culture in marketing communication. As Success in international markets depends on much more than translation—it requires cultural fluency.

The Cultural Iceberg: What You Don’t See Can Hurt Your Brand

Most marketers focus on visible culture—language, clothing, food—but neglect the “invisible” part of the cultural iceberg: values, beliefs, communication styles. And this is where the real problems arise.

For example, companies from low-context cultures (like Germany or the U.S.) often produce highly detailed, fact-driven campaigns that emphasize product features. These may fall flat in high-context cultures (like Japan, Argentina, or China), where relational cues, emotional tone, and shared history play a bigger role than literal information.

As Hirsch writes:

Preparing our marketing activities targeted at international recipients, we should take a look at our messages from the perspective of the iceberg of these recipients

This aligns closely with Hofstede’s model of cultural dimensions, which has shown that consumer behavior is deeply shaped by variables such as individualism vs. collectivism, power distance, and uncertainty avoidance. For example, a U.S. brand might emphasize uniqueness and self-expression, while the same message could appear selfish or even confusing in a collectivist culture like South Korea or Indonesia.

Standardization Doesn’t Equal Success

Many global campaigns fail because companies assume that what works at home will work abroad. In reality, standardized messaging often fails to resonate emotionally.

Advertising that emphasizes personal achievement, explicit comparison, or rational data appeals more in individualistic, low-context cultures. In contrast, in high-context or collectivist settings, brands must show social responsibility, harmony, and belonging.

Think of Apple’s product launch videos. In the U.S., the messaging is clean, feature-focused, and innovation-driven. But in Japan or China, those same ads are often localized to include family moments, emotional storytelling, or culturally relevant values—without changing the product itself.

Direct vs. Indirect Communication: One Style Does Not Fit All

One of the most impactful cultural dimensions in marketing is communication style. In direct, low-context cultures, clarity and precision are valued. “Say what you mean and mean what you say” is the norm. In indirect, high-context cultures, harmony and subtlety are key. Much is said without being spoken.

This has direct implications for international messaging:

• A German tech ad might list five unique product features.
• A Japanese version might focus on how the product enhances harmony in your home.

As E.T. Hall’s theory explains,

In high-context cultures… verbal messages play a comparably small role… the context in which the interaction takes place is essential for understanding (Hall, 1976).

Failing to recognize this difference can make a campaign feel cold, pushy, or even disrespectful.

Emotional Intelligence Is Market Intelligence

Global marketing no longer rewards just creativity or scale. It rewards empathy—the ability to read cultural context, listen deeply, and communicate in a way that fits.

Fons Trompenaars refers to this as “reconciling cultural dilemmas.” For example, instead of choosing between standardized or localized communication, great international marketers blend both, aligning global brand identity with local meaning.

That’s why intercultural competence is no longer a “nice-to-have.” It’s a critical skill that allows teams to avoid costly misunderstandings, earn trust, and create campaigns that actually connect.

Conclusion: Think Beyond Translation

If your global marketing campaign is “failing to land,” the problem likely isn’t the product. It’s the message—and how that message fits into the receiver’s world. Intercultural marketing is not a niche skill anymore. It’s a core business competency.

To succeed, marketers must stop projecting their own cultural logic and start listening to the cultures they aim to reach. And that starts with one simple step: stop assuming, and start adapting.

Sources:

• Hirsch, D. (2012). Cultural aspects in international marketing communication. Marketing i Rynek, 4, 158–168. https://doi.org/10.5604/05096669.1077484

• Hall, E. T. (1976). Beyond Culture. Anchor Books.

• Hofstede, G., Hofstede, G. J., & Minkov, M. (2010). Cultures and Organizations: Software of the Mind (3rd ed.). McGraw-Hill.

• Trompenaars, F., & Hampden-Turner, C. (2012). Riding the Waves of Culture: Understanding Diversity in Global Business (3rd ed.). McGraw-Hill.

• de Mooij, M. (2014). Global Marketing and Advertising: Understanding Cultural Paradoxes (4th ed.). SAGE Publications.

• Ricks, D. A. (2009). Blunders in International Business (4th ed.). Wiley-Blackwell.