Neil MacGillivray, Author at sa国际传媒 /author/neil/ Nordic translation specialists Tue, 10 Dec 2024 09:28:27 +0000 en-GB hourly 1 Krampus, KFC and Aldi: The best Christmas marketing campaigns with a local touch /best-local-christmas-marketing-campaigns/ Mon, 09 Dec 2024 11:43:44 +0000 /?p=47569 What makes the best Christmas marketing campaigns so memorable and so effective? With the concentration of seasonal advertising campaigns so great in the run-up to Christmas, and the season offering a big opportunity for brands to boost sales, competition is fierce as businesses battle to stand out. Creating the most effective Christmas promotion ideas means ...

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What makes the best Christmas marketing campaigns so memorable and so effective? With the concentration of seasonal advertising campaigns so great in the run-up to Christmas, and the season offering a big opportunity for brands to boost sales, competition is fierce as businesses battle to stand out.

Creating the most effective Christmas promotion ideas means knowing your audience thoroughly and capturing the essence of local traditions and celebrations. This article explores several examples of successful Christmas campaigns that were localised for specific audiences, including key factors that businesses should consider when planning their Christmas advertising campaigns.

Understanding the tradition, understanding the market

In order to reach different regions effectively at Christmastime, brands must understand the faith and folklore often tied to cultural Christmas traditions. For example, in Denmark, Norway and Sweden, it鈥檚 traditional to leave a bowl of porridge out on the evenings of December 23rd or 24th for the nisse or tomte 鈥 a small, gnome-like fellow who protects homes but can be mischievous if he doesn鈥檛 get his porridge. In Finland, the nisse is known as a tonttu, but is not as integral to contemporary Christmas traditions as in Denmark and Norway. And in Iceland, locals can expect a visit from the j贸lasveinar (or the 鈥榊ule lads鈥 in English), a troublesome group of trolls that deliver presents to children the 13 nights before Christmas.

However, further south in Germany and Austria, another creature roams the cold and long evenings: a sinister aide to St Nicholas 鈥 a half-goat, half-demon who punishes badly behaved children 鈥 the Krampus. These tales are grist for the mill for brands looking to engage with their target audiences and as shows, even the terrifying Krampus is no exception.

The geography of Christmas marketing campaigns

From Tampa to Tokyo, Christmas has become an international shopping affair, with brands big and small spending months preparing for the launch of their Christmas marketing campaigns. Every year, supermarkets such as , and release their Christmas advertising campaigns, refining each one to resonate with their local audience by depicting local traditions.

One example of a successful seasonal campaign in the UK is the John Lewis Christmas advertisement. Anticipated annually, this slow-building and emotional campaign is a cinematic experience which never fails to tug on our heartstrings and remind the viewer about the coming together of friends, families and even strangers at Christmastime (often via the perfect gift!). In the UK, Christmas marketing campaigns are served to us in the warm colours of a fireplace, where through the frosted window we see the twinkle of tinsel or a crowded dining table, creaking under the weight of the roasted veg, fowl and game.

Yet, if we trade the pheasant for fish, this seasonal scene may represent an Eastern European Christmas, as countries such as Slovakia, Czechia and Poland as the centrepiece of their Christmas feast. Navigating the nuances of Christmas traditions across Europe can be challenging but brands willing to adapt their imagery, language and tone can resonate better with the preferences of their target audience.

Aldi鈥檚 adaptability in Christmas advertising

While fish and side salads are also customary in Australia, so is a box of beer on the beach. In Aldi鈥檚 Aussie Christmas marketing campaign, they even swapped the dining table for a surfboard to serve the roast ham. As December is the heart of the Australian summer, that are fully acclimatised to the sun Down Under, rather than the snow often depicted in advertisements for the UK or the Nordic region.

From their to Santa shredding the surf in Australia, brands like Aldi have proven they know how to speak personally to their customers, wherever they are in the world. Although discounts and promotions are attractive, adaptability is key to businesses that want to grow and show they understand their audience.

A Kentucky Christmas

In the 1970s, a by a bearded gentleman in a suit 鈥 the famous bowtie-wearing colonel of the Kentucky Fried Chicken franchise (KFC). Launching its 鈥淜entucky for Christmas鈥 advertisement before the festivities in 1974, KFC鈥檚 campaign was so successful that their seasonal Party Barrel is now a yuletide feast for millions in Japan every year. Focused on sales over the spiritual, Christmas is a commercial event rather than a religious one in Japan and big brands are keen to capitalise on this.

But Japan isn鈥檛 the only country in Asia to celebrate Christmas; countries like India, China, South Korea and the Philippines also take part in the festivities. With such populous countries like India and China in this region, even a small percentage of the population can equate to tens of millions of people that businesses want to reach.

3 secrets to the best Christmas marketing campaigns

For those who pitch their product right, Christmas can offer a great opportunity to reach consumers, who tend to be more receptive to advertisements while actively looking for gifts for their friends and family. So, what鈥檚 the secret to the best Christmas marketing campaigns?

  1. Effective research 鈥 Language barriers and cultural mistrust can pose challenges for brands when reaching their new and existing target markets. Failing to resonate with your target audience is an easy way to show you haven鈥檛 done enough research.
  2. Connecting with your audience 鈥 In a digital era dominated by social media, consumers expect brands to speak directly to them. Combining an authentic voice and reflecting local values when engaging with them on familiar social platforms can be the perfect Christmas recipe for success.
  3. Employing experts 鈥 Utilising the skills of marketing and linguistic experts will help refine your brand鈥檚 voice by localising your product in a familiar context to your target audience.

Authenticity in the age of AI

As these localised campaigns show, authenticity is integral if you want to connect with audiences, especially around this very personal time of year. Nothing proves this more than the typical success of Spotify鈥檚 annual 鈥淪potify Wrapped鈥, a personalised presentation of the user鈥檚 most listened-to content from the past year.

However, when brands fail to connect authentically, marketing campaigns can flop, like . As the crimson Coca-Cola trucks roll onto our screens this festive season, the magic feels far from the real thing. The advertisement depicts a familiar landscape of snow and sparkling Christmas lights; however, on closer inspection, some characters appear to have six fingers on one hand and the wheels turning in the snow are out of sync. These obvious imperfections have left Coca-Cola sliding into public backlash. Released at the beginning of December, Spotify’s 2024 Wrapped campaign has also faced due to its integration of AI, leaving users less than impressed.

Although businesses are eager to implement new tech into their workflows, it鈥檚 clear a balance is still required. The kickback against Coca-Cola鈥檚 advertisement and Spotify’s 2024 use of AI indicates that consumers still value authenticity, making localisation a top priority for any brand wanting good publicity at Christmastime.

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Parenting products for the Nordic market and beyond /parenting-products-for-the-nordic-market-and-beyond/ Thu, 03 Oct 2024 11:46:00 +0000 /?p=46975 The parenting products market is diverse, encompassing a range of products that cater for our children鈥檚 health, such as how we feed them, care for their hygiene, sleep, cognition, emotional growth, or how parents care for themselves. Globally, the parenting market is rapidly expanding, driven by increasing consumer demand for innovative, safe and sustainable products. ...

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The parenting products market is diverse, encompassing a range of products that cater for our children鈥檚 health, such as how we feed them, care for their hygiene, sleep, cognition, emotional growth, or how parents care for themselves. Globally, the parenting market is rapidly expanding, driven by increasing consumer demand for innovative, safe and sustainable products.

An evolving space in innovative business ideas, the parenting products market is continuously adapting to deliver on parental needs: smart socks communicate a child鈥檚 vital signs to their parent鈥檚 phone; intelligent cribs aid a restful sleep by simulating a parent鈥檚 rocking motion or the gentle hum of a car; and thanks to hands-free breast pumps, women have the freedom to pump wherever and whenever they like. More and more, businesses are tapping into market niches that appear to be hiding in plain sight. But that鈥檚 what makes them great.

New businesses like these continue to thrive in this space, despite a fertility and birth rate that has been . In fact, in 2024, the global market for child and baby care products is estimated at over , a figure forecasted to increase by over USD 150 billion by 2032.

In this article, we will discuss the diversity in parental expectations and needs across the globe, exploring the cultural nuances of the Nordic market and highlighting the fundamental role of adaptability and localisation when expanding a parenting products business into this region. Later, we鈥檒l dive into the story of our partnership with FemTech start-up Elvie 鈥 a poster child for success in the Nordic region and beyond.

The Nordic model and luxury parenting products

Nuances in the parenting products landscape can reveal how family cultures differ around the world. For example, preferences in are notably different across regions, influencing the toys that parents choose to buy for their children. Where a Korean mother may prioritise a child鈥檚 cognitive development, an Italian or Spanish mother may prefer to cultivate socio-emotional intelligence. Cultural models are influenced by governance too, as states dictate how much time a parent spends with their child after birth. For example, in , fathers are spending increasingly more time with their children thanks to equality in parental leave, whereas in Japan, have recorded the marginal presence of a father in rearing a child.

Understanding where cultural norms and government policies coalesce in parenting purchase trends can be challenging, but some clear examples do exist. For example, a Dutch mother may be more inclined to invest in a family cargo bike for travelling with her child, whereas a Chinese mother may prefer to invest in a baby sling wrap.

In the Nordic countries, the key values associated with children and parenting are shared from the state level to the individual level. Leading in areas such as , and equality, the Nordic countries鈥 shared values have promoted a greater sense of trust and community within the region. Of the 38 member countries in the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (), the 5 Nordic countries 鈥 Denmark, Iceland, Sweden, Norway and Finland 鈥 rank within the top 6 countries that invest the most by GDP in early childhood care and education.

This focus on welfare infrastructure, sustainability and equality is reflective of Nordic parents鈥 ideals, as parents encourage children to experience nature daily; to become responsible members of their community from a young age; and, increasingly, show them that parenting duties can be shared equally between parents. The harmony that exists between state and individual values is also visible through the region鈥檚 consistent ability to rank highly in the World Happiness Report ().

These values have now permeated the parenting products market through the growth in popularity of parenting products. Whether due to decreasing average family sizes or increased and affluence amongst parents, or perhaps both, luxury products are in. And in this industry and region, luxury and sustainability go hand in hand.

There is already an established focus from on sustainability, but with increasing global awareness about this issue comes an incentive to invest even more, for both retailers and consumers. Eco-conscious brands are regularly opting for more expensive, sustainable manufacturing, incorporating more recycled and organic materials. Brands adhering to the scheme are a signal to consumers in this region that a business supports sustainability and waste reduction. Despite eco-conscious brands carrying a premium price tag, a of the Nordic population is willing to pay the extra for a product that aligns with both their parenting and personal values.

Child鈥檚 play: succeeding in the Nordics

Nordic parents care about sustainability, they care about organic products, they care about equality. This is a valuable business insight for players in the global market aiming for success in this region. Will your parenting product connect with Nordic consumers? Are you speaking their language? Will your brand鈥檚 voice reach this audience the way you intend it to? Your product, its literature and its delivery to your local audience may be perfect, but achieving this level of cultural and linguistic accuracy in a foreign environment makes employing a native professional a necessity.

This is not simply localised to the Nordic region. Countries like the USA are of the success of the Nordic values 鈥 that are now resonating with Americans too. In fact, some studies show as many as of US consumers value sustainability as a key factor when purchasing. This makes it increasingly likely that a product born in North America will connect with consumers in regions such as the Nordics or the EU, and vice versa.听

The cross-pollination of ideas continues to enrich the parenting products market and innovate how we care for our children, yet borders often become barriers between brands and their target markets. With illustrating that 65% of non-native English speakers value content published in their native language, integrating localisation shouldn鈥檛 be a luxury, but a necessity to show your brand cares. To invest in creating a local voice is to invest in ensuring that your message connects with local consumers. Your product may be the answer to the needs of parents in another country, but if they can鈥檛 understand your product details or how it can help them 鈥 whether it鈥檚 marketing content or instructions for use 鈥 they won鈥檛 buy it.

Understanding regulations: have you done your homework?

Wherever your target audience is in the international market, adhering to local regulatory frameworks should be a crucial consideration. Parents are seeking brands that understand their needs and share their expectations on product safety. In a market that caters to the most precious thing in a parent鈥檚 life, the importance of adapting your product and its message cannot be overstated. This means understanding the unique regulations in the country of your new audience.

Due to the growing value of sustainability in the parenting products market, tactics such as are utilised by brands unwilling to commit to green efforts, but still hoping to gain business from using this ambiguous label. Thankfully, existing regulations are reviewed regularly and annexes are created to enforce more stringent standards. Departments of agriculture in the , , and beyond have defined their region鈥檚 standards, and businesses that wish to declare their certification must conform with these.

However, although regulating bodies across the world have created such standards, international trade policies differ. For example, although are exported from the US to the EU, their standards 诲辞苍鈥檛 always align. Are your promotional materials correctly signalling the standards that your target audience parents expect? Do your product descriptions, ingredients or instructions deliver information as transparently as they should?

Miscommunication should be a primary concern for brands selling health-related products, such as baby food or toiletries. Despite being a gateway to international success, it also increases the risk of miscommunication, even if accidental. Between 2010 and 2020, the OECD鈥檚 38 member states experienced an increase in online sales by almost a third. Yet, during this time, a of online products also took place, revealing that a significant number of recalled and banned products remained available to purchase online.

Trading internationally in a multilingual environment may facilitate uncertainty in a market that demands minimum risk. By incorporating native professional translators and localisation experts, your company can avoid careless and dangerous errors. In doing so, you can be sure that your product credentials are effectively communicated to regulating bodies and parents alike.

Elvie: a case study

Since 2020, Sandberg has been adapting and localising content for the impressive London start-up, . Elvie is an advocate for equality, sustainability and natural healthcare for women, catering to their unmet needs by destigmatising taboo topics like breastfeeding and creating empowering FemTech products. Producing technology such as hands-free breast pumps and care for pelvic floor health, Elvie has become a refreshing resource for important information and discourse on women鈥檚 physical and emotional well-being.

Valuing gender equality and maternal care, Elvie knew their product would resonate with Nordic parents, which is why they reached out to Sandberg. Replicating the unique tone of any brand in another language and culture can prove challenging. However, since August 2020, Sandberg has localised over 500,000 words across 5 languages for almost every area of 贰濒惫颈别鈥檚 business literature. During this time, we have helped develop and cultivate 贰濒惫颈别鈥檚 tone of voice by capturing a local and sensitive style that cannot be compromised when discussing the important, and often delicate, subject of women鈥檚 post-partum health.

Opportunity and growth in the parenting products market

Representative of the cultural diversity across the globe, the parenting products market is a kaleidoscope of laws, ideals and expectations, yet it remains an environment accommodating to businesses with international endeavours who are willing to adapt.

Value-based brands like Elvie are a growing presence in the market, as with a tactful multilingual communication strategy, they can connect emotionally with parents all over the world. Looking ahead, we can expect technology to continue to establish itself in this space, facilitating the innovation of more comprehensive care for families. Monitoring systems will continue to be developed, so too will AI-based parenting and nutritional guides. The call for more personalised and on-demand guidance for parents is increasingly common, and going forward, an expected area of dominance in this market.

Expanding internationally can prove challenging in such a competitive market; however, by building an articulate expansion strategy that accounts for the differences in parental needs across countries and cultures, the nuances of existing market niches, in addition to international regulations and standards, your business can successfully grow beyond your local market.

At Sandberg, we have 30 years of experience in offering premium, tailored communication solutions. So, whether your company requires multilingual SEO services, market-specific copywriting or internationally certified translation and revision services, we will ensure your content is handled with the care of our experts and native professionals that your customers expect.

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Organic healthcare: the global expansion of the nutraceuticals market /organic-healthcare-the-global-expansion-of-the-nutraceuticals-market/ Mon, 29 Jul 2024 13:52:56 +0000 /?p=45808 Until recently, bearing the costs of international expansion dictated access to global markets 鈥 a privilege reserved only for certain industries and business groups. With the advent of globalisation, we have witnessed a dramatic change, with companies now growing and conquering the world in record time. Today, scalability is a fundamental aspect of any growth ...

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Until recently, bearing the costs of international expansion dictated access to global markets 鈥 a privilege reserved only for certain industries and business groups. With the advent of globalisation, we have witnessed a dramatic change, with companies now growing and conquering the world in record time. Today, scalability is a fundamental aspect of any growth strategy.

However, not all markets or companies grow and expand at the same pace. Numerous factors affect the ability to scale globally, and some sectors are better at seizing opportunities than others. This blog article analyses the nutraceuticals market and its impressive rate of growth from a low rumble in the early 1990s to a fruitful boom by the turn of the century. We also discuss the critical role of product adaptation and content localisation and their key function for businesses aiming for global expansion.

The state of the nutraceuticals market

Between 1999 and 2000, the global nutraceuticals market grew at an annual average growth rate (AAGR) of . Over the following decade, this figure doubled to 14.7%. In 2024, the value of the global nutraceuticals market is estimated at over and, in its energetic state of growth, is in value before 2031.

Cast aside at the introduction of modern medicine, natural organic remedies have now been rediscovered, taking root in local communities once more. Emerging as a welcome alternative to expensive modern healthcare, figures on increased life expectancy and the global pandemic have only stimulated sales further. And in the last few decades, advancing technologies have accelerated the development and efficacy of these natural resources.

Yet, introducing a product to the healthcare market presents a quagmire of challenges, especially when taking your product from a local audience to an international one. Localising essential product information can prove a crucial mechanism in achieving your brand鈥檚 international potential by communicating your product materials, packaging, website content and marketing materials accurately and effectively.

So, what is the nutraceuticals market?

The market encompasses a variety of foods that offer medicinal or health benefits, including the prevention and treatment of disease. Largely viewed as , functional foods and beverages may take the form of vitamin and dietary supplements or fortified drink and meal components, boasting therapeutic properties owing to their high mineral content and antioxidant activity.

The reach of these functional foods is vast, as they not only have medicinal qualities, but also enhance nutrition in probiotic foods and drinks, promoting growth, offering meal substitutes and aiding sport performance. They may support and boost nutrient content in cereals, wholegrains, milk, milk alternatives and in 鈥榚nergy鈥 bars and drinks; think omega-3 and folic acids, green tea, cod liver oil and ginseng.

When manufactured correctly, nutraceuticals offer a combatant in the battle against ultra-processed foods (UPFs) and a comrade in the growing trend of holistic approaches used to treat common but deadly diseases such as cancer, diabetes, Alzheimer鈥檚 and cardiovascular disease.

Medicine, meditation and market growth

In the last decade, increased consumer awareness about healthy living has contributed to a wave of wellness. The nutraceuticals market is a fundamental component of the global wellness market in 2024. Somewhere between mindfulness and fitness trends, enlightened consumers have made a hearty push towards natural and organic nutrition, and the figures support this. Since 2016, the compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of nutraceuticals is estimated at per year and, by 2023, the market was valued at approximately .

Despite Europe containing some of the biggest names in the nutraceuticals industry and the USA being the most advanced market in terms of product offerings, the Asia Pacific region currently has the . Driving factors across continents are a combination of consumer preference and external factors. These include proactive consumer attitudes, increased awareness about health, greater disposable income, increasing healthcare costs, ageing populations and post-pandemic health concerns.

Techy treatment

Technology has proven a vital catalyst for the marketing and consumption of nutraceuticals. The accessibility and omnipresence of the internet presents the buyer with information to tailor their functional food choice. In addition to widely available professional advice online, the application of has improved the biological efficacy and physicochemical stability of nutraceuticals.

Through methods of nanoencapsulation, 3D printing and congealed spray-dry technology (to name just a few), food grade can be enhanced, and consumers can expect better consistency and sustainability in their bespoke healthcare products. An increasingly personalised supplement selection shows greater progression in treatment and healthcare plans, making general-purpose care an increasingly foreign concept.

Subscription, not prescription

Several years ago, harnessed this concept of personalised healthcare by launching a subscription service for their nutritional science-backed products. Subscribers benefit from a customised product selection based on their lifestyle, allowing them to be offered food and dietary supplements unique to their needs and accessible without a prescription.

However, in the past, misleading market activities led to . Functional foods have often flown below the radar of regulations associated with normal medical and pharmaceutical products. , Japan became the first country to regulate its food supplements by establishing 鈥楩ood for Specified Health Use鈥 (FOSHU), a system created to approve 鈥榮tatements concerning the effects of food on the human body鈥. More than a formality, producing accurate and clear information increases consumer knowledge and reduces risks related to toxicity and drug interactions.

In the , dietary supplements are regulated as food items by the FDA. Similarly, in , supplements are also recognised as foodstuffs, where responsibility for product safety rests with the business operator. Some countries take a more individual approach to these products. For example, and sub-categorise their nutraceuticals by distinguishing their special composition which governs how they are regulated.

The reality is that regulatory landscapes are predictably uneven when crossing borders. The nutraceuticals market is no exception. Although sidestepping prescription and testing requirements in many countries, businesses should be wary of the differences that exist in regulations and how these food supplements are defined. Nutraceuticals merchants should hold their prospective clients at the heart of their sales and understand the responsibility that comes with selling healthcare-related products and sharing product information, which should reach consumers accurately and transparently.

Localise your nutraceuticals product content

The nutraceuticals market is made complex by the origins of its produce. Foods harvested for their super components are found in all corners of the globe, then traded internationally. For example, in , ginseng was used to treat insomnia, palpitations and anorexia, while bashed and brewed the shrub to treat indigestion, headaches and infertility. In modern medicine, the bioactive elements of this root continue to be utilised to treat symptoms associated with a host of illnesses across Asia, North America and beyond.

Given the market鈥檚 global reach, correctly delivering culturally appropriate information and nutritional guidance is essential. Consumer product knowledge has been a determinant in decision-making behaviour for decades and have proven that an individual鈥檚 nutritional knowledge of a product influences both their intent to buy and consume.

Furthermore, providing accurate and localised product information is made an even easier choice when the risks associated with the sale of healthcare products are considered. For example, the overconsumption of vitamins by those who do not suffer from a vitamin deficiency can lead to side effects such as impaired eye function, diarrhoea, bleeding, photosensitivity and neurotoxicity. For these products to be used responsibly, companies that sell them must also take on the responsibility of providing comprehensible product information through localisation.

Multilingual communication for the nutraceuticals market

Whether you鈥檙e connecting with new audiences who may use your product differently or communicating nutritional guides, warnings and marketing materials, we recognise the responsibility involved in accurately localising essential product information.

Ensuring product information remains as accurate to each audience means employing experts to localise content into their native language. At Sandberg, our subject-matter experts safely handle over five million words in the life sciences field every year. Amongst our pool of professionals, we also have experts on hand to offer market-specific copy-writing, transcreation and international SEO services to adapt your content appropriately and capture the culture familiar to your target audience.

Sandberg is an ISO 17100 and ISO 18587 compliant language service provider, and our multi-stage quality-assurance process means your product not only carries the rigour of an internationally recognised standard but also signals to consumers that your company is committed to ensuring your product has been considered as conscientiously as the care it offers.

As you scale up internationally in this industry, efficient workflows are not just a necessity but a key differentiator that drives success and profitability. We provide cost-effective localisation solutions through the implementation of technologies such as translation memories and machine translation. Our ability to communicate efficiently and navigate quick turnaround times while still prioritising quality and accuracy means you can have full confidence in your content.

You鈥檝e taken the time to develop a product which you believe can help people, so why miss out on communicating this to them as safely and accurately as possible? Localisation is the answer to building strong connections with new audiences across the globe, especially in a rapidly growing, global and sensitive market like nutraceuticals.

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