CULTURE & COMMUNICATION

The probably most obvious difference between different cultures is the language. Brand names can have a completely different meaning in another language and may need to be translated. Though a lot of people in western countries and also around the globe speak English, it is necessary to balance reasons for a specialization. When marketers decide to translate their brand name and slogan, they should consult a native speaker. A single mistake or imprecision can risk the succes of a product or / and ruin the brand's reputation. There is another aspect of language, that needs to be considered, namely the context. 

There is a distinction between low-context and high-context cultures. Low-context cultures communicate with a lot of words, and the message is, whatever is communicated. High-context cultures don't need a lot of words to communicate and the way things are communicated is much more important than in low-context cultures. Language does also include body language, or nonverbal communication, which takes up to 70% of all communication. 

Nonverbal communication includes gestures, the space usage, time symbolism and colors and other signs and symbols. It is useful to know what gestures express in different cultures, because in fact, they vary a lot. What's a sign of respect or friendship in one country can be an insult in another. 

Space usage means that there is always a certain space between people that they need in order to feel comfortable. The more you trust a person, the closer they can get to you. It also referrs to other spatial arragements such as the arragement of desks in an office. 

Time symbolism makes a distinction between polychronic time (P-Time) or monochromic time (M-Time). The major difference is that P-Time cultures don't really care about schedules or agendas, whereas M-Time cultures always try to be in time and also expect others to be in time. Talking about the use of colours and other symbols, it can be saied that different cultures ascribe different meanings to different colours. The same applies to symbols.