With 30 years of experience, Lincoln Jacobe, CEO of 6 Pillars Marketing, has delivered outstanding outcomes for a wide range of brands.
As businesses of all sizes now have global marketing capabilities within their reach, it’s becoming increasingly important to remember that reaching target audiences worldwide is not the same as connecting with them.
While standardized global marketing strategies help to drive business expansion, I think it may be time for the pendulum to swing back into a more balanced position, allowing for local marketing customization when targeting your most important markets.
The Market In Hawaii
Growing up in Hawaii, I learned early on about the importance of localized marketing. Long before American Express launched its now-famous Shop Small campaign, consumers in Hawaii routinely favored local businesses over global brands. There has always been an innate desire to support local companies. Still, national brands that took the time to connect in ways that truly resonated with islanders were usually nicely rewarded.
Over the years, savvy businesses entering the market in Hawaii, or seeking to strengthen their position, have wisely dedicated extra time and resources to connect with local consumers authentically—weaving into their marketing campaigns a careful measure of local culture, values and nuanced language. It’s a strategy that could pay off for many growing brands as they venture into faraway markets.
Global Brands Grow Local Roots
While marketing localization is not a new concept, it is as vital as ever with the exponential growth of global marketing. In late 2024, media buying giant GroupM forecasted that total global advertising revenue would soon top the trillion-dollar mark for the first time.
A fundamental aspect of localization ensures that audiences receive your marketing in their preferred language, helping to build trust, improve engagement and drive sales. However, an effective localization strategy encompasses much more than simply translating marketing materials into different languages; it’s about a comprehensive approach designed to accommodate the unique characteristics of each market. It’s about considering a market’s norms, preferences and customs to better resonate with local audiences.
Case Studies In Action
As an example, the nationwide launch of Verizon Wireless in the early 2000s made special provisions for localized advertising campaigns in the Hawaii market, featuring local celebrities and expressing market-specific values and nuances.
Also, for as long as I can remember, McDonald’s Hawaii has served exclusive menu items that include local favorites, including Spam, Portuguese sausage, the McTeri Deluxe burger, fried haupia (coconut) pies and other island-inspired selections. By incorporating localized product offerings or simply presenting your brand with thoughtful, tailored marketing, you can help to position your company as one rooted in the markets you pursue.
In this tradition, earlier this year, our agency helped Dave & Buster’s localize a grand opening launch campaign for its new Honolulu location. The campaign reflected Dave & Buster’s in all its glory, intertwined with a strong emphasis on local traditions, including a traditional Hawaiian blessing ceremony, local entertainment and celebrities and influencers with island ties.
As evidenced by this experience, strategic local public relations outreach, combined with a dynamic social media presence, can help a new location gain rapid traction in its market. More importantly, working with local partners and incorporating authentic community connections is key to building the kind of lasting relationships with target audiences that can extend beyond the initial launch.
Connect From A Distance
Even where the same language is spoken, variations can make the difference between making real connections and disconnected content that falls flat.
Within the U.S. alone, people speak with regional nuances that can completely change the meaning and interpretation of your content. Smart marketers look for ways to carefully embrace regional dialects, preferred vocabulary and unique slang to connect in distinct and relatable ways.
Be sure to identify regional language sensitivities. For example, marketers who use the word “Hawaiian” must exercise care and caution. While an individual may be from Hawaii, you won’t want to refer to them as Hawaiian unless they are of Native Hawaiian descent. Otherwise, you’ll risk offending the very people you hoped to reach, exposing your brand’s lack of cultural understanding. Instead, use the term “kamaʻāina” or simply “locals.” Incorporating regional nuances into your marketing can go a long way towards making your brand stand out by fitting in.
You can also give your brand a competitive edge by acknowledging and respecting your target market’s local preferences, including its food, music, dance and art. You can start by tapping into experiential and digital marketing opportunities that celebrate beloved local holidays, such as festivals, events and special publications.
Also, take the time to understand how visuals, designs and colors impact your target audience. What might be appealing in one international market could easily be confusing or even offensive in another. You can create specific social media accounts for high-value target markets to maximize localization efforts, increase engagement and boost conversion rates.
Avoid Landmines And Pitfalls
Localization requires a full-hearted commitment to sound research and quality control to ensure a genuine and effective approach. At all costs, avoid using stereotypes and cliches that are sure to repel prospects instead of drawing them in. Our digital world puts information at our fingertips, but companies aiming to localize their marketing must garner local market insights from highly reliable sources. If budgets and time permit, conduct surveys and focus groups to dig deeper and test proposed marketing strategies.
Put boots on the ground by partnering with local experts and agencies who can verify content accuracy and ensure context suitability. Share localized storytelling by collaborating with local leaders, influencers and celebrities to boost credibility and relatability.
By taking these important steps, you can ensure that your company’s global ambitions don’t overshadow the value of genuine connections with customers and prospects around the world. Go beyond standardized global marketing to build relationships that can drive business for years to come.
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