1.) Its not translation, its localisation
- always use local translators as they have intimate knowledge and understanding of syntax and nuances unique to each country.
- always ask for a few paragraphs of localised samples and get a real consumer to read through (corridor test). Some research spending at the start can yield greater rewards after.
2.) Engage category experts to vet content, and propose terms/phrases unique to that category. If we want to write for the experts, we need to sound like experts.
3.) Recognise country-specific differences within languages
- Hong Kong Traditional Chinese vs. Taiwan Traditional Chinese. Enough said.
- English language messages also need to be localized for countries such as Canada, the UK and Australia. That includes differences in phrasing, such as “ring me” instead of “call me” or “petrol” instead of “gas,” as well as differences in spelling.
4.) Respect Cultural Differences
- US and UK markets tend to use a more aggressive, sales-oriented approach but the style will not play well in other parts of Europe and even in Asia
- No showing of skin pictorially in conservative countries like Middle East; Patriotism and flag imagery may work well in US but not so much in Canada.
5.) A picture says a thousand words
- British customers could tell their advertising photos were of US employees, due to slight differences in clothing, such as the way a tie was knotted
- Caucasian models might not always resonate well with Asian countries, especially Japan/China
Zuji is doing it, and will pay $0.10 for every picture they “like”, on assumption that one will upload more than one picture. More unique “likes” will earn more money, increasing to $1 to a max of $100 for the top 10 pictures.
Good way to collect content, and a small reward to get content contributors to “park” their existing content in another space other than the established gathering holes like Flickr.
If the model can be refined further (like a quota for example) to target at a broader mass who will probably upload 2-3 pictures instead of the discount hunters who upload millions to cumulatively earn a decent paycheck, it may be worthwhile to see how other brands can also leverage on similar models to encourage some much needed UGC.
Skittles has relaunched its site a year after which it has basked in the spotlight both loved and hated by digital watchdogs. The new skittles.com tacks away from the social media transparency approach after being on fire for displaying an unedited slew of inappropriate, controversial feed posts rained by pranksters. The new site now invites visitors to “taste the rainbow” by scrolling down to discover (rather static) content aggregated from different social media sources including its Twitter account which has (sadly) slightly over 400 followers, and a new microsite, shareskittles.com, where users can contribute to a video montage of sharing the candy (a much poorer cousin compared to the execution of Uniqlo Map).
Well, despite the criticism, Skittles is one of the most popular brands in social media. Its Facebook page, which was prominently featured on the old site, boasts 3.6 million fans. And it didnt really incentivise with promotions or free products so to speak, alot of the updates are really just tongue-in-cheek messages which garnered thousands of “likes” from fans every single time. I wonder if all these buzz did actually increase sales, or brand affinity and how much. That will be interesting to measure and for us digital marketers to know.
As strange as it may sound, thousands of real-world employees are beginning to use avatars as part of their regular jobs. A research by Stanford University has shown how employees at American companies like IBM, Accenture, Cisco, State Farm, Intel, BP and Wells Fargo log into virtual worlds and use avatars to brainstorm with colleagues, recruit employees, sell to customers, attend leadership training, manage programs, direct operation centers, and collaborate with company groups around the world.
For those of you who missed out on the OG version of the Lucy Exposed figure, Made By Monsters announces its special Japanese version of Ron English’s “Lucy Exposed.” This new version is set to drop on January 20th, 2010, standing 8″ tall and limited to only 100 units worldwide. Retail is set around $110 USD
OK our latest installment to Sony Football Asia – introducing the KICKATHON. Can you kick your way to South Africa? Well if you can there are some 2010 World Cup tickets in it for you – check it out here.
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