culturally customizing websites part 1

Culturally Customizing Web SitesCulturally Customizing Web SitesCulturally Customizing Web SitesPart I

Culturally Customizing Web SitesPart I

Join us in tweeting this webinar #Lionbridge@Lionbridge

Presented by Dr. Nitish Singh www.globalizationexecutive.com

Moderated by Paula ShannonOctober 2009

I1

I1 All material in the presentation is copyright-Nitish Singh, Saint Louis UniversityITS, 11/24/2008

About Lionbridge

Global ScaleGlobal Scale Market LeadershipMarket LeadershipGlobal ScaleGlobal Scale4,600 employees 26 countries

• Global network of 25,000 translators

Market LeadershipMarket LeadershipLeader in $14B services industry• Translation and adaptation of products

and content for international markets

Global ClientsGlobal ClientsRecurring relationships with 500+

Hosted TechnologyHosted TechnologyW b b d l t h l Recurring relationships with 500+

global clients• 80% of revenue comes from recurring clients• 12 of the Fortune 20 companies are client

Web-based language technology platform• Enhances competitive advantage• Drives efficiency

Company confidential – distribution prohibited without permission

Global Web Statistics

Global e‐commerce sales will reach $12.8 trillion

US will account for less than 58% of total global online salesUS will account for less than 58% of total global online sales

US only accounts for 185 million internet users today

Gl b l i t t l ti i 1 08 billi b 2010 it illGlobal internet population is 1.08 billion users; by 2010 it will reach 1.8 billion.

65 % of Global internet users are non‐English speakers65 % of Global internet users are non‐English speakers


Born Global!

Web sites are global from inception To target global online consumers you have to speakTo target global online consumers you have to speak in their language and cultureCulture impacts how we perceive, process, and Culture impacts how we perceive, process, andinterpret information

“People cannot act or interact in any meaningful way except through the medium of culture ” E T Hallexcept through the medium of culture. E.T. Hall


What is Culturally Customized?

Communication which

reflects complete “immersion” in the culture of the t t k ttarget market

addresses three levels of cultural adaptation:addresses three levels of cultural adaptation: perception, symbolism, and behavior

goes beyond simple translation and cosmetic adaptation when targeting different countries and/or cultures

Cultural customization begins where basic “localization” ends


Perception of Images

Western and Eastern people look at the world in different ways.


p p y

Researchers compared the way Chinese and US students viewed photographs.

What is a Culturally Customized Website?

Perception of Symbols

The Biggest Blunder!

The BIGGEST communication blunder is to ignore the importance ofculture in communications.

Higher web site usability, accessibility, and interactivity

A more favorable attitude toward the site

A state of “flow” and browsing comfort

d h h h ll


Increased purchase intentions which eventually impact you ROI

It is Not a Luxury!

Cultural Customization Levels of Web Site

High Medium Low High Medium Low Italy

Attitude Toward Site 3.60 3.57 3.34 Purchase Intention 3.06 3.10 2.68

India Attitude Toward Site 4.26 3.74 3.04 Purchase Intention 4.04 3.68 3.18

Netherlands Attitude Toward Site 3.48 2.97 2.87 Purchase Intention 2.34 1.91 2.19

Switzerland Attitude Toward Site 3 59 3 16 2 69 Attitude Toward Site 3.59 3.16 2.69 Purchase Intention 3.16 2.93 2.64

Spain Attitude Toward Site 4.31 3.50 2.82 Purchase Intention 4.14 3.30 2.67

It is Not a Luxury!

An Experiment with 400 Brazilian, French, German and Taiwanese Online Conusmers Measures Web Sites Low on CC Web Sites High on CC F-Value (n: 1823) (n: 636) (Means) (Means) (Means) (Means) Ease of Use 3.45 3.82 216.2** Perceived Usefulness 3.31 3.65 159.8** Attitude Toward site 2.89 3.45 422.6** Purchase Intention 2.41 2.86 219.8** **p-value<.001

Culture and Disaster


Vocabulary Equivalence

An example is the Japanese response (or lack of) to the Potsdam Declaration in July 1945 which lead to the bombing of Hiroshima and NagasakiNagasaki

The Japanese Premier announced that the Cabinet had taken a stance of “mokusatsu”

which has no exact meaning in English

It can be translated as “making no comment” or “ignoring”

The Japanese Cabinet intended the former meaning“making no comment” and not the latter “ignoring”making no comment and not the latter ignoring

they wanted more time to discuss and decide their response, which included a surrender…….


Geocultural Edge (noun) (T.Edwards):

• The tipping point at which a content element stretches the limits of the intended context, changing the content

1., g g

from “safe” to potentially “offensive”.

Th i i hi h l k f i k l d

2.

• The panic zone in which a lack of time, knowledge, and/or process results in an unwanted content controversy.

• A place of opportunity where various positive outcomes

3. are possible, if proactive.

Discerning the Geocultural Edge

Geocultural Edge

Hi h t l lt W i t l lt L t l lt

Product is “Safe” Product at Risk

Strong revenue

High customer loyalty

Decreased revenue

Waning customer loyalty

Low/negative revenue

Low customer loyalty

Consumer/gov’t support

Positive image

Consumer/gov’t inquiry

Questionable image

Gov’t/punitive actions

Negative image

/g pp /g q y /p

Consequences ‐ Going over the Geocultural Edge

Loss of consumer trust in your delivery of a positive experience

Brand erosion with negative PR and customer backlash

Loss of revenue and market share

Loss of political position, possible punitive legislation and litigation

Punitive government actions against local subsidiary staff (Adapted: T. Edwards)Punitive government actions against local subsidiary staff (Adapted: T. Edwards)

The key is finding the ‘tipping point’ at which any content type can remain marginally acceptable It will be different for everycan remain marginally acceptable. It will be different for every product and every locale.


G hi

Content to Avoid

Graphicselements with texthuman body elements and body languagehuman body elements and body languagehumor, puns, and slangphysical environmentsp yethnic, racial, political, and religious environmentsgender‐specific elementsimages of animalssexual and violent elements regional conventions such as reading direction date/time andregional conventions, such as reading direction, date/time, and monetary elements


Issues with Human Representation

Use of 4 fingers with human figures in Japan



E d f t iE d f t iE d f t i

figures in Japanfigures in Japanfigures in Japan

Exposed feet is a problem in the Middle East



A bit too revealing forA bit too

revealing forA bit too

revealing for

Gestures are very context‐dependent

revealing for some culturesrevealing for some culturesrevealing for some cultures

Retail Product Design and Marketing

In 2002, Abercrombie & Fitch t‐shirt designs caused much protestdesigns caused much protest

Retail Product Design and Marketing

In 2002, Abercrombie & Fitch t‐shirt designs caused much protest.

They were quickly discontinued.

Excite Japan: DevotedExcite Japan: Devoted exclusively to women (www.excite.co.jp).

www.toshiba.co.jp

Executive Education Program


Knowledge Center

• Building Stronger Brands Around the World: A Guide to Effective Global Marketing

Download White Papers

to Effective Global Marketing

• Strengthening Global Brands: Key Steps for Meaningful Communications around the World

• Building a Global Web Strategy: Best Practices for l i i l O li d

View Webinars On‐Demand

Developing your International Online Brand

• The Art and Science of Global Navigation

• The Best Global Web Sites (and Why)

• Mastering Multilingual Marketing

• The Art and Science of Global Navigation

• The Best Global Web Sites (and Why)

• Mastering Multilingual Marketing


culturally customizing websites part 1

Business

purchase intention

platform global clients

global internet users

cc web sites high

levels of cultural adaptation

billi b

recurring clients

recurring relationships