How to Tackle Brand Localization Strategy

Developing a brand localization strategy before entering a new market can result in positive results for your brand.

Breaking into a new global market requires a planned and calculated brand localization strategy. How a brand is perceived is make-or-break for a company. Planning a localization strategy for your brand can prevent mistakes and mistargeting when entering a new foreign market. But there are steps to take to ensure brand localization is successful.  

What Is Brand Localization Strategy?

To understand a brand localization strategy, you must define your brand. A brand is an intangible concept that helps consumers identify your product or service. When you think of the brand Apple, you probably think of the iPhone, and you’d likely describe them as modern, innovative, tech-savvy, and trendy. Brand localization identifies how your brand is going to be perceived in a new market. Marketing materials will not be the only engagement a consumer has. It is about the entire experience and your brand's impact on its new audience. Take your slogan, for example. Keep it simple and to the point.

Simplifying your message means it can easily be tailored to suit other global markets. Not only does the translation matter, but how the slogan will be perceived does too. Upon defining your brand, there are steps to take to build a concrete strategy that leads to success.

Define Your Target Audience

To define your target audience, you must have a clear idea of who your audience is in each country. Once defined, you must develop a clear strategy for how you’re going to adapt your brand voice and practice in marketing.

Your brand’s value proposition will change in different countries. Going back to Apple, this brand targets many demographics in the U.S. market. However, when breaking Apple into a market like Brazil, the target demographic will shift. Apple may be considered a sophisticated and high-end brand in Brazil, causing you to switch your value proposition. In each country you plan to localize your brand, your brand could change based on the target market. Always ask; who is your target audience in the country? What cultural norms? Defining this and preparing to adjust your brand to fit is critical.

Brand Terminology: Will it Translate Well?

Your brand may have specific terminology, but will it translate well in other languages? Just as important is the style guide developed for your brand localization strategy. Apple has the iPad and iCloud as prominent products that consumers use to their advantage.

But other specific details can get fuzzy in translation. Focus on your brand's high contact, and high traffic elements and keep them broad. If your main product is a tablet/iPad, focus on the key terminology you want to use. A localization management platform offers terminology management tools to allow an iterative process that runs itself. Good terminology combined with terminology management and brand enthusiasts as your translators will equal a secure strategy.

Translation Review: The Key to Success

Review it once you have all of your material translated into the desired languages. Reviewing the final product will validate the terminology list you have compiled. This step is pivotal in a brand localization strategy, and quality assurance prevents errors that will need to be corrected later. You wouldn’t want to print or release digital assets without first having a subject matter brand expert review.

Many brands choose to forgo this process based on advanced technology that automates the process. While this method is effective, the translations may not correlate precisely to what your brand is trying to portray. A translation can be correct, but the message may be off. Reviewing the final product is a must to resonate with your target audience.

A Localization Platform that Works

When building an effective brand localization strategy, it comes down to brand terminology management. At Bureau Works, we have experience using the best practices for successful brand localization without compromising your reputation.

We can help you better understand your target market and provide the resources to ensure your translation is of the highest quality. We choose brand enthusiasts familiar with the brand and industry to provide their expert opinions. We combine your corporate lexicons, termbases, and brand keywords to ensure content is true to the language, brand, and culture to ensure precise terminology management. Expert linguists combined with our innovative technology nurture the brand localization process.