The role of marketing and communication is to bridge the gap between what companies have to sell and what customers want to buy. This holds true especially in our globalized world, where it is essential for brands to create and maintain authentic connections with diverse customers across cultures, beliefs, and biases. Advertising that is executed with a lack of cultural awareness almost always leads to social backlash, not forgetting to mention a tarnished reputation and alienated customer base. In a brand’s desire to cut through the clutter, they try too hard, push too far, or unintentionally attract attention for all the wrong reasons. The basic fact is that customers have evolved and have become more critical and vocal with their opinions, beliefs, and biases. So how should marketers navigate local customs across diverse cultures, build and maintain respect with customers, and create campaigns that resonate and are relevant?
We all know that brands today are more visible and under greater scrutiny than ever before. Technology has made the spread of information, including customer sentiments, a few clicks away from reaching a global audience. Therefore for marketers, it starts with realizing that cultural sensitivity has become more than a “best practice” and is now a strategic necessity.
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8 Components for Creating Culturally Sensitive Advertising
For businesses and their CMOs, campaigns that resonate well with diverse customer bases can often lead to higher brand loyalty, better engagement, and high customer retention. Brands that make the time and effort to understand their customers, and make them feel respected and valued, are more likely to have repeat purchases and strong long-term revenues from existing customers. But along with KPIs like Customer sentiment analysis, Brand studies and Engagement metrics analyses are done, and these are the to-dos for any brand campaign.
1. Deep understanding of the local culture
It is critical for a brand to conduct research before launching a campaign in a new market/ extending a global campaign/ taking on a sensitive topic (social, political, religious, etc.), or attempting to change cultural norms/ societal beliefs or behaviors. Research cultural symbols, traditions, languages etc. so none of them are used (even for aesthetic purposes) without fully understanding their real significances
2. Defining the intent of the campaign
Both marketers and their agencies need to be clear as to the intent of the campaign. After all, not all problems require a hammer. Controversial and viral might be nice to have but are not always needed.
3. Identifying the desired audience’s reaction
Shock value will get people to stop and look, but if the idea is too edgy or if the execution is not on point, chances are the audience's reaction is not going to be what the brand thought it would be.
4. Aligning the communication with the brand's values
Ensure that the communication aligns with the values of the brand, including its tone of voice. Campaigns should spark meaningful engagement; campaigns that go rogue are not only expensive but also waste time and opportunity.
5. Staying away from stereotypes and cultural appropriation
Understanding why something is done or believed or followed by another culture, incorporating elements from another culture into yours, or critiquing will most certainly be seen as offensive or trivializing and damaging. De-risk the campaigns for all stereotypes, trivializing issues, misrepresenting cultural or social issues, misusing symbolisms, attire or language without fully understanding their meaning and importance to a culture.
6. Diversity of team
Having a diverse team to identify and validate campaign ideas, thereby avoiding cultural mistakes early on, can not only avoid problems but, more importantly, help by bringing relevant perspectives into creative development and decision-making for the brand. It helps to also provide cultural sensitivity and bias education to employees.
7. Consumer testing of campaign idea
Production and media costs are expensive and hence, brands should test their communication with the customers via focus groups to ensure that there are no potential issues and that the campaign is on point, resonates with the target audience, and avoids any potential harm to the brand and people as a whole.
8. Crises Management and Recovery Plan
Sometimes the best-laid plans inadvertently attract backlash. In these scenarios, it is best to have a prepared response plan that includes these steps.
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Swiftly acknowledge the misstep while taking responsibility with a public apology
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Reach out directly to the impacted group to understand their perspective
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Publicize actions being taken to fix the current problem, and avoid future incidents
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Align brand values with cultural awareness
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Find ways to bring sensitivity as a differentiator for the brand
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Practice consistent engagement to rebuild inclusivity, equity, reliability and trust
Examples of Successful Culturally Sensitive Advertising
Nike’s Pro Hijab line for Muslim women
Ben & Jerry’s “Justice ReMix’d” Campaign
Procter & Gamble’s “The Talk” Campaign
Cultural Insensitivity Advertising Vs Controversial Advertising
Understanding the difference between cultural insensitivity and controversy is critical for marketers. Culturally insensitive ads result from a lack of understanding and respect for specific groups, often leading to alienation and backlash. Controversial ads, however, are typically designed to provoke reactions and may resonate strongly with some audiences while polarizing others.
Commonalities:
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Culturally insensitive and controversial ads can provoke negative reactions from the public.
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Controversial and culturally insensitive ads can go viral due to shock value and public outrage.
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Missteps in cultural understanding or provocative content can damage a brand’s reputation and customer trust.
Differences:
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Intent and Purpose: Cultural insensitivity in ads often arises from misrepresentation, stereotyping, or trivialization due to a lack of awareness or research, while Controversial advertising aims to provoke conversations and challenge norms, prioritizing attention over cultural sensitivity.
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Scope of Offense: Culturally insensitive ads offend specific groups by misrepresenting their symbols, beliefs, or experiences, while Controversial ads provoke reactions by challenging norms, not targeting specific groups.
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Reactions and Long-Term Impact: Culturally insensitive ads face intense backlash, leading to boycotts and financial losses, while Controversial ads can be effective if they align with the brand’s values.
Conclusion
Cultural sensitivity in advertising is not just about avoiding mistakes but rather about creating opportunities that foster meaningful connections. For marketers, having a deep understanding and respect and making a conscious attempt to craft strategies that integrate local culture and its nuances to authentically engage and strengthen relationships, loyalty, and trust is the way forward.
This is because at the heart of culturally aware advertising is the commitment to recognize and celebrate the various differences, personalities, identities, and values that make us, as customers, uniquely human. As customers, we expect our brands to go beyond the surface to enquire, listen, and understand our thoughts, feelings, experiences, and symbols that make us more than socio-economic classifications or market segments that can be stereotyped and monologued to.
We are human, we have flaws and biases and make mistakes, and therefore also expect the brands we buy, follow, and advocate to also readily acknowledge and address their own mistakes and missteps. Show the brand’s customers that it is committed to making things right, and better, and it is learning from feedback.
Cultural sensitivity is one way brands can create a competitive edge over their competition, provided their campaigns are executed in an inclusive, respectful, and forward-thinking manner. When executed right, a brand not only strengthens itself in share of the market but in mindshare as a champion of empathy and inclusivity.
Additional Reading: Overcome the Generational barrier and Connect with Customers, Navigating Local Customs and Diverse Cultures, Leveraging Activism for Loyalty, Creating Communities to drive purpose and growth, Marketing Truths in a World of Cynicism, Performance Marketing for Effectiveness, Packaging Designs that Sell, The Power of Music in Campaigns, Negotiation Strategies for any situation, Augmented Reality Marketing, How to Sell with Emotions, Crafting Your Customer Journey Map Masterpiece, Public Relations that Works, Immersive Customer Experiences with Experiential Marketing,