{"id":5463,"date":"2022-05-14T19:02:00","date_gmt":"2022-05-14T19:02:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/phrase.com\/?p=5463"},"modified":"2023-08-21T13:46:20","modified_gmt":"2023-08-21T11:46:20","slug":"global-brand-consistency","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/phrase.com\/blog\/posts\/global-brand-consistency\/","title":{"rendered":"4 Key Tips for Maintaining Global Brand Consistency"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div id=\"acf\/text-block_1c9e197f20ce00ae3f868b63d68a5ec7\" class=\"pxblock pxblock--text spacing--default bg--white\">\n\n\t\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"wysiwyg animate-in\">\n\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Taking your brand across borders can be a surefire way to expand operations and increase sales. If you manage to keep brand consistency and deliver the same level of experience in all markets, that is.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Maintaining the consistency of your brand in more than one language simultaneously requires strategy and the right tools. You need to ensure that you are able to communicate and sell effectively without compromising on who you are or what your product is about. To do this successfully, you should tailor your content for each region specifically while staying true to your brand.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To help you walk the fine line between delivering culturally relevant messages and maintaining global brand consistency, you should become familiar with these 4 must-know tips.<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_69_1 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Overview<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/blog\/posts\/global-brand-consistency\/#embrace-localization\" title=\"Embrace localization\">Embrace localization<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/blog\/posts\/global-brand-consistency\/#have-a-unified-vision\" title=\"Have a unified vision\">Have a unified vision<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/blog\/posts\/global-brand-consistency\/#leverage-a-translation-management-solution\" title=\"Leverage a translation management solution\">Leverage a translation management solution<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/blog\/posts\/global-brand-consistency\/#choose-your-translators-carefully%e2%80%94and-trust-them\" title=\"Choose your translators carefully\u2014and trust them\">Choose your translators carefully\u2014and trust them<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/blog\/posts\/global-brand-consistency\/#its-all-about-strategy-and-tools\" title=\"It\u2019s all about strategy and tools\">It\u2019s all about strategy and tools<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"embrace-localization\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Embrace localization<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">First things first: <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/blog\/posts\/localization-isnt-just-about-translation\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Translation and localization<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> aren\u2019t the same<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Translation, in the most basic sense of the term, is the word-by-word or phrase-by-phrase conversion of one language into another. Localization, on the other hand, goes one step further by strategically adapting content and other brand elements for specific regions or countries. It takes into account cultural data as well as consumer behavior, demographics, and local norms or preferences.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So, how does localization impact the consistency of your brand? Consistent and reliable brands tend to earn their customers\u2019 trust. However, trust is as much about consistency as it is about making customers feel that you understand them\u2014and their culture. Based on that logic, you shouldn\u2019t just take a global brand message and launch it in every market without considering how consumers in each country feel, think, and act.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To bridge both concepts, think of brand consistency and localization as two sides of the same win-over-your-customers coin. Take a look at some research to get an even better understanding:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">According to a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/business\/news\/insights\/modern-loyalty-love-in-a-time-of-infinite-choice\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">survey conducted by Facebook<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, consistency is one of the 4 main drivers of brand loyalty.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/csa-research.com\/Featured-Content\/Global-Growth\/CRWB-Series\/CRWB-B2C\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">study by CSA Research<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> found that 65% of consumers prefer content in their language, and 40% won\u2019t buy from a brand whose content is not in their native language.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Finding the right balance of consistent brand messaging while also catering to your local audiences is the essence of effective <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/blog\/posts\/optimize-marketing-localization-process\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">marketing localization<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Translation simply won\u2019t cut it.<\/span><\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"acf\/blog-cta-block_9dc7bbad3bf6f02f026f7ad050240c6a\" class=\"pxblock pxblock--blog-cta alignfull bg--yellow image--orientation-portrait\">\n\t<div class=\"block-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"image image--align-middle\">\n\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1700\" height=\"2200\" src=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/marketing-localization-ebook-cover.png\" class=\"attachment-original size-original\" alt=\"Marketing localization ebook cover | Phrase\" srcset=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/marketing-localization-ebook-cover.png 1700w, https:\/\/phrase.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/marketing-localization-ebook-cover-232x300.png 232w, https:\/\/phrase.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/marketing-localization-ebook-cover-791x1024.png 791w, https:\/\/phrase.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/marketing-localization-ebook-cover-768x994.png 768w, https:\/\/phrase.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/marketing-localization-ebook-cover-1187x1536.png 1187w, https:\/\/phrase.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/marketing-localization-ebook-cover-1583x2048.png 1583w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1700px) 100vw, 1700px\" \/>\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"content\">\n\t\t\t<p class=\"subhead\">FREE DOWNLOAD<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1 h6\">Make global marketing strategies work in local markets<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1 small\">Harness the power of localization to effectively connect with audiences worldwide and discover best practices for making your next global marketing endeavor a success.<\/p>\n<p><a class=\"btn btn--outline\" href=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/resources\/marketing-localization\/\">Download playbook<\/a><\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"acf\/text-block_01c7250680fb55e16bb80b141f9b4a42\" class=\"pxblock pxblock--text spacing--default bg--white\">\n\n\t\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"wysiwyg animate-in\">\n\t\t\t<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"have-a-unified-vision\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Have a unified vision<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To achieve a unified brand the world over, you need a unified vision among your brand\u2019s stakeholders. This includes all levels of your company: senior leadership, brand managers, designers, copywriters, and translators. The brand strategy needs to be known by all and understood by everyone who works on it.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Make sure you articulate your brand identity in written form\u2014like brand guidelines that help everyone interpret your brand\u2019s message in a consistent way worldwide. Include concepts like brand values, brand promise, brand mission, and how the product is relevant to consumers. The more context you provide, the more accurate your message will be regardless of the target market.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"leverage-a-translation-management-solution\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Leverage a translation management solution<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When it comes to localization, one of the most essential solutions is a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/blog\/posts\/translation-management-system-how-it-works\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">translation management system (TMS)<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. In the same way that a CRM system manages your customer relations and a CMS handles your content, you\u2019ll find great success in managing all of your localization work through an efficient TMS.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A translation management system is exactly what it sounds like: Software engineered from the ground up to facilitate end to end the process of translation and localization at scale. The reason why a TMS can help maintain brand consistency across cultures is that it lets you:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Oversee the progress of all projects and all languages in real-time, which allows you to catch and fix any issues as they occur, rather than ending up with a big, confusing mess one day before a deadline.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Provide translators with term bases, glossaries, brand guidelines, style guides, visual references, etc., so they can produce localized content that aligns with brand standards.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Integrate your localization workflow with ecommerce, CRM, and marketing automation platforms, as well as build custom integrations via APIs.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ensure the real-time collaboration, on a single platform, of designers, developers, product managers, executives, copywriters, translators, and any other person involved, so they are all in sync from start to finish.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The last point is particularly vital. Staying consistent can be tricky when there are disconnects between departments within your organization. A TMS allows you to bridge the gaps by connecting all areas of the company and allowing everyone involved to access the most updated brand assets.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This way, it\u2019s easier for every department in your business\u2014marketing, product, design, customer service, sales, and others\u2014to speak the same brand language. When teams work in tandem, your organization functions as one, making it easier to maintain brand consistency regardless of location.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"choose-your-translators-carefully%e2%80%94and-trust-them\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Choose your translators carefully\u2014and trust them<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When taking your marketing campaign into new territories, remember that the market you\u2019re trying to reach may not be like the market you\u2019re familiar with. Your content may simply be inappropriate for the new market. You have to trust that your translators know what will work and what won\u2019t. It\u2019s crucial, therefore, that you put together your localization team wisely.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Choose a <a href=\"https:\/\/phrase.com\/blog\/posts\/check-list-localization-team\/\">localization team<\/a><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> who knows the culture and customs, and has experience translating and writing marketing copy for the intended audience. Work closely with them to keep the brand consistent, but you should trust their expertise and judgment, too.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It\u2019s also beneficial if your team lives in the area you\u2019re trying to reach. While not always the case, some things are just better done with a local team on the ground\u2014your content may not be as effective if your transcreation team is made up of expats who have all the qualifications but haven\u2019t lived in the target area for several years.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you\u2019re not sure how to find a team that checks all the boxes, you can use a language service provider (LSP) that offers marketing translation or localization as a service. They\u2019ll provide you with a competent team of translators and copywriters to ensure that your marketing message is communicated with clarity and consistency.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"its-all-about-strategy-and-tools\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It\u2019s all about strategy and tools<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you follow the tips in this guide, you can ensure that your brand stays true to its identity whether your marketing campaign is targeted to Japan or Brazil. While taking your brand global without compromising brand consistency might be a challenge, it\u2019s not impossible. You just need to prepare ahead, facilitate communication among all parties involved, and make sure that you have all the right tools to make it happen.<\/span><\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Learn how to walk the fine line between delivering culturally relevant messages and maintaining global brand consistency.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":50,"featured_media":2597,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_stopmodifiedupdate":true,"_modified_date":"","_searchwp_excluded":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[37],"class_list":["post-5463","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-global-business"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/phrase.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5463"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/phrase.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/phrase.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/phrase.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/50"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/phrase.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5463"}],"version-history":[{"count":16,"href":"https:\/\/phrase.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5463\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":80319,"href":"https:\/\/phrase.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5463\/revisions\/80319"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/phrase.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2597"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/phrase.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5463"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/phrase.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5463"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}