Mirela
Holidays are rooted in our cultural traditions, religious beliefs, and national pride. Chances are, the holidays in one country differ greatly from those in another. Even global events, which are celebrated in multiple countries, often have unique regional customs. By developing international holiday marketing campaigns, you show that your brand understands and respects the local holiday traditions of each target audience.
The role of language and messaging
Translation is just the first step you’ll have to take in adapting holiday messaging for international audiences. However, translation doesn’t guarantee that your message will resonate emotionally. Remember transcreation? Effective international holiday marketing requires this specific process.
Transcreation means adapting the message’s tone, style, and cultural references to the target market. Consequently, you will likely end up incorporating local idioms and culturally relevant imagery, or adjusting the overall tone of the message to align with local sensibilities.
And let’s not forget the visuals. Think of Christmas. For the U.S. market, your ad could feature snow-covered trees and cozy fireplaces, but you can’t use that same imagery in Australia, where Christmas happens in the middle of summer. A beach BBQ with Santa in board shorts? Now that’s something Aussies can relate to.
Timing considerations
Certain big holidays are celebrated on fixed dates worldwide, but others vary by country. Black Friday—the biggest sale event of the year for many—may not even be worth focusing on in certain regions. When you’re doing localization, you need to understand what (and when) people celebrate and when they shop.
The Lunar New Year, for example, is one of the biggest holidays in China, Vietnam, and other parts of Asia, but it changes dates every year. While Western brands are busy rolling out their Valentine’s Day campaigns in early February, consumers in these regions are more focused on family reunions and festive feasts. As a brand, you need to acknowledge this shift in focus.
Beyond the holidays themselves, consumer behavior shifts at different times of the year. Timing also matters within each holiday season, as some shoppers buy gifts months in advance, while others scramble at the last minute. The lesson here? Timing isn’t just about knowing the date of a holiday; it’s about knowing when and how people celebrate, shop, and engage.
So, how do you localize for local holidays?
Let’s recap and talk about a few more elements of an international holiday marketing campaign. Before launching any holiday campaign, you should:
- Understand what holidays matter most in your target market (and how people celebrate them).
- Study local shopping habits.
- Adapt your messaging, as well as the tone and style.
- Customize your visuals (imagery, colors, and everything else that may require tweaking).
- Offer tailored promotions and deals.
- Localization extends beyond ads and promotions, so you’ll also need to optimize your website, checkout process, payment, and customer support.
- Choose your timing and keep in mind that long marketing campaigns don’t work for all regions.
Enjoy the competitive advantage of localization
Generic global campaigns are so yesterday. A brand that takes the time to celebrate holidays the way its customers do shows that it cares. So take the time to tailor your holiday messaging to each of your target audiences. You don’t have to be a big name in the industry; smaller brands can take advantage of localization too.