Writing for an international audience isn’t hard… if you enjoy lengthy research, know every cultural context, and never sleep. If you’re planning to wing it, don’t.
Know What You’re Dealing With
Culture isn’t just a list of “dos and don’ts.” It’s a maze of rules, norms, nuance, and landmines. Miss one, and your copy goes from relatable to roastable. What you really should do is use a reputable Localization Service Provider, but if you absolutely must DIY it, do this at the very least:
• Learn your audience’s cultural values. Hofstede’s cultural dimensions theory can help you figure out if you’re talking to individualists or collectivists, egalitarians or hierarchy lovers.
• Drop the idioms. “The ball’s in your court” doesn’t mean squat in countries that don’t play tennis.
Get it wrong and you’re not just misunderstood, you’re offensive. And as we’ve learned, the internet has zero chill.
Translation is a Trap
It’s rare that a message survives a word-for-word translation. Literal translations strip out emotion, tone, and basically everything that makes your writing worth reading.
• Use transcreation, where your copy gets rewritten for emotional and cultural relevance.
• Test it—always. Focus groups in your target market can save you from PR disasters.
Translation doesn’t preserve tone, intent, or nuance. Transcreation does.
Inclusion Isn’t a Bonus
Using outdated language or leaning on stereotypes won’t make your brand edgy, it’ll make it obsolete. Stereotypes and gendered language get a hard pass. It’s not 1950.
• Use gender-neutral terms when you can. “They” has been doing the job since Shakespeare, so no excuses.
• Challenge stereotypes. If your idea of diversity is one token person awkwardly shoved into a group shot, you’re not fooling anyone. The moment your audience sees an ad full of men talking and women taking notes, they’ve already closed the tab.
Exclusion alienates people, and alienation doesn’t sell. Inclusivity earns trust and loyalty.
Your Visuals Might Betray You
You might think visuals are universal, but they’re not. Colours, gestures, symbols, and yes, even emojis: none of these are as universal as you think. And visual mistakes are loud.
Colours
Red = Love in the U.S., luck in China, mourning in South Africa, communism in Eastern Europe.
White = Purity in the West, death in East Asia.
Yellow = Happiness in the U.S., betrayal in France, mourning in Mexico.
Black = Elegance in Western cultures, masculinity in China, bad luck in India.
Gestures
Thumbs Up: A-OK in the U.S., but offensive in the Middle East and parts of South Asia.
Peace Sign: Harmless in most places, but turn it backward in the UK or Australia, and it’s a rude gesture.
OK Symbol: Positive in the U.S., but vulgar in Brazil, and recently politicized elsewhere.
Symbols
Religious icons: A Buddha statue as decor might seem aesthetic to you, but it’s sacred in Buddhist cultures.
Animals: Pigs symbolize luck in some Western cultures, but they’re considered impure in Muslim and Jewish communities.
Numbers: 4 signifies death in Japan and China, while 8 screams prosperity.
Emojis:
Emojis can say more than you intend… and not always what you want. Here’s a free download of the Backbone Copy Unofficial Guide to Emoji Etiquette that’ll help you navigate those waters. For now. Nothing stays the same for long.
Clothing
Modesty expectations vary—what’s fashionable in the West might come off as disrespectful in conservative regions. And traditional attire should never be used as a costume unless you want accusations of cultural appropriation.
Body Language
Feet: Showing the soles of your feet is disrespectful in many Middle Eastern and Asian cultures.
Hands in Pockets: Can come off as rude or disrespectful in Japan.
When in doubt, collaborate with local experts to review your designs. A quick consult is cheaper than repairing your brand’s reputation.
Local References: Use ’em, Don’t Abuse ’em
Throwing in local flavour works until it doesn’t. A clever nod to the culture can charm your audience, but if you overdo it or get it wrong, you’ll look like a tourist trying too hard.
• A small touch can build connection, overloading your copy turns it into a caricature.
• Consult someone who actually lives there. Your clever idea might not be so clever.
Treat local flavour like salt: enough to enhance, but not so much it ruins the dish.
Test It. Fix It. Try Again.
Even the best writers don’t nail it on the first try. Testing isn’t optional, it’s survival.
• Run A/B tests in different regions. Real feedback is your best friend.
• Adjust based on feedback. If your copy bombs, rewrite it before it does more damage.
If your message doesn’t connect, your audience won’t care. Writing for a global audience is about respect. Respect for culture, language, and the people you’re trying to reach. Bad copy destroys trust, credibility, and sometimes entire brands. You can’t afford to get it wrong, because the internet won’t let you live it down.
The world’s listening—and it has receipts.
Psst…Want more examples of what not to do? Go read Brand Flops: Cultural Cringe.