Introduction

Twenty-first-century marketing communications face serious problems that arise from cultural differences, which profoundly affect consumer responsiveness to marketing communications. Symbolism, color, written word, and imagery that work in one nation can be misread or elicit negative responses in another. The marketing difficulties that arise as a result of cross-cultural difference are a result of incompatibilities in social norms, perceptions, and values, hence making it important to tailor strategies to enhance consumer attention in diverse geographic areas.

One of the largest challenges for international marketing is striking a balance between global brand uniformity and the need to be sensitive to local idiosyncrasies. Firms seek to develop marketing approaches that are integrated and responsive, customizing their practices to suit the distinct attributes of their respective target markets. In this context, adjustment of visual and text-based elements in marketing is key to overcoming cultural barriers to marketing and making marketing communications more effective.

Current technological advances utilized in product promotion advertisement, social sentiment analysis, and data analysis enable companies to design accurate adaptation strategies, hence minimizing the consequences of miscommunication resulting from misinterpreted marketing messages. Simply translating material or applying standardized advertising methods is not enough in order to be successful in a global marketplace. Organizations need to be aware that ads can be interpreted in different ways in different social contexts, not just requiring linguistic and pictorial adaptations but also adaptations of the underlying marketing message.

The aim of this study is to analyze the impact of cultural differences on the interpretation of marketing messages. The relevance of this research is driven by the increasing internationalization of business and the necessity of creating effective marketing strategies that account for cultural diversity, ensuring successful brand communication in a globalized market.

Main part. Cultural barriers in the interpretation of marketing messages

Modern marketing communications are increasingly geared toward a global market. Although, cultural differences continue to play an important role in how advertising messages are perceived. What may be appealing, comprehensible, and persuasive to one audience can be ineffective or even offensive to another. In marketing practice, it is essential to consider cultural nuances to prevent misinterpretation of advertising content and enhance its impact on target consumer groups.

Cultural marketing communication barriers are manifested in some of the most significant domains, including language differences, perception of symbols, color, social norms, and behavioral patterns. The most apparent barrier is probably that of language. Even when advertising slogans and marketing messages are translated from one language to another, their meaning can get lost or changed, particularly if a literal translation is employed. A notable example is Pepsi’s slogan «Come alive with Pepsi», which, when translated into Chinese, was interpreted as «Pepsi brings your ancestors back to life», eliciting an ambiguous reaction from the audience. According to 2024 study [1], a similar issue arose in Taiwan, where Pepsi’s mistranslation was particularly problematic due to the strong cultural significance of ancestor worship (fig. 1).

Figure 1. Pepsi market impact in Taiwan, %

The symbolic aspect of advertising is of extreme importance, as it has to do with the use of symbols, imagery, and color. The same symbol can mean two extremely different things in two varying cultural contexts. The color white, for example, is associated in Western cultures with new life and rebirth; in some other Asian cultures, it’s associated with death and mourning. Such extreme variances can profoundly affect the reception of advertisements and thus consumer attitudes.

Patterns of behavior and social norms also strongly influence marketing communications. Whereas some cultures embrace informality, humor, and casual patterns of interaction, there are others that enjoy formality and deference to tradition. Advertising campaigns that emphasize individualism and personal achievement tend to be effective in USA and Western European countries but may be less successful in Asian markets, where collective values and societal harmony are more deeply ingrained. In China, Japan, and South Korea, marketing strategies often center around group identity and family relationships, whereas in the USA and Germany, advertisements are more likely to highlight personal benefits and self-fulfillment [2].

Theoretical models for describing cultural differences such as Hofstede’s cultural dimensions, Edward Hall’s context communication theory, and Schwartz’s value theory provide a systematic framework for considering and categorizing the differences. Geert Hofstede found several dimensions of culture, i.e., power distance, individualism vs. collectivism, uncertainty avoidance, and long-term orientation. Hall’s model categorizes cultures as low-context and high-context. In low-context cultures, like USA or Scandinavian countries, information is conveyed explicitly and directly, whereas in high-context cultures, such as China, Japan, and Arab countries, meaning is heavily dependent on contextual cues, non-verbal signals, and indirect communication.

Cultural hurdles to message comprehension pose a daunting challenge that requires strategic planning when creating advertisement campaigns. Failure to counter such challenges leads to failed campaigns and loss of brand integrity. Multinational companies have to be sensitive to linguistic subtlety, symbolic meanings, social norms, and consumer behavioral patterns in order to facilitate effective comprehension of their message.

Adaptation of visual and textual elements in advertising campaigns

The success of marketing communications across the globe largely depends on the extent to which marketing strategies are adapted to meet the tastes of given groups of people, specifically in respect to their respective cultures. Campaigns that fail to take account of local contexts are likely to be unsuccessful in attaining their desired effects and even generate undesirable effects. Organizations face challenges in striking a smooth balance between upholding global brand consistency and making required adaptations at a local scale.

Linguistic localization is a basic aspect of adaptation. The process engaged in during marketing material translation is more than mere conversion of meaning between different languages; it requires careful scrutiny of linguistic and cultural nuances. In marketing practice, a distinction exists between direct translation and transcreation – a creative translation approach that preserves both the emotional and conceptual impact of the original message.

Another essential feature of localization is the use of local proverbs, idioms, and grammatical forms. Japanese language uses very much honorific and polite speech, so there must be a special approach to the building of advertising slogans. German consumers prefer a more informative and logical style of speech, while Spanish-language advertising often resorts to expressive and emotionally charged wordage.

Beyond linguistic considerations, it is essential to account for cultural values in advertising texts [3]. The visual component of advertising campaigns plays an equally important role in localization. The use of colors, imagery, graphics, and symbols must align with the cultural codes of the target audience.

Presentation of people in advertisements also has to be modified. In the Middle East, women and men must adhere to modesty levels in presentation, whereas in the West the advertisements are more liberal and suggestive. Global brands such as H&M and Zara modify their campaigns to accommodate, modifying the fashion for different regions by covering sleeves and removing revealing garments in advertisements for the Middle Eastern market.

A successful case is Coca-Cola, which, rather than simply transliterating its name in China, strategically selected a phonetic equivalent that resembles a phrase meaning «delicious happiness». This approach preserved brand recognition and fostered a positive perception of the product among local consumers [4].

Transposing advertising campaigns into various cultural environments is a complicated process demanding close attention to detail. Firms that aim to be successful in global markets need to take into account linguistic subtleties, cultural values, symbolism, and visual codes. Insufficient localization can result in confusion, reduced marketing effectiveness, and even reputational harm. Conversely, appropriate adaptation enables brands to establish trust with consumers and develop more effective, culturally appropriate advertising campaigns.

Developing universal and locally adapted marketing strategies

Present-day companies face the problem of creating marketing strategies that simultaneously accommodate the unique characteristics of local markets while keeping brand consistency. The concept of glocalization (a fusion of «global» and «localization») has emerged as a main principle, providing brands to tailor marketing communications to the specific needs of diverse audiences without compromising their global identity [5]. Successful tactics are built on in-depth analysis of local consumer preferences and respect of cultural sensitivities to test drive the effectiveness of advertisement campaigns.

To effectively implement these strategies, companies must balance global brand uniformity with local executions that resonate with target markets. Strategic decisions regarding audience segmentation, customization, cultural relevance, and pricing flexibility are instrumental in securing marketing success across diverse markets (table 1).

Table 1

 Approaches to adapting marketing strategies [6, 7]

To quantify the effectiveness of targeted marketing, marketers employ new testing mechanisms to analyze audience reactions to various elements of advertising campaigns. A/B testing enables companies to test two or more variations of an advertisement and determine the most effective one; for example, testing the reaction to varying colors or images for banners in a specific location. Data analysis and machine learning allow for real-time tracking of consumer behavior, identifying patterns, and adapting marketing strategies accordingly, with Big Data helping brands better understand cultural preferences and predict audience reactions [8]. Neuromarketing and measuring perception utilize methods such as eye-tracking and monitoring brain activity in order to determine which elements of visual content draw the most eyeballs in specific cultural environments. Social monitoring and sentiment analysis further aid brands by helping them keep track of customer commentary and social media feedback so that they can quickly reconfigure marketing messages in response to negative perceptions and alleviate potential reputational harm.

Developing universal yet locally adapted marketing strategies requires a comprehensive approach. Global brands strive to maintain a consistent identity and core values while tailoring key campaign elements to different cultural contexts. Successful companies leverage glocalization, analyze target audience behavior, and employ advanced testing methods to craft effective advertising messages. Investing in cultural adaptation drives sales and also fosters long-term consumer trust in international markets.

Conclusion

Marketing in a cross-cultural environment entails strict examination of cultural barriers, visualization and wording of advertisement elements tailored to the intended audience, and creation of flexible strategies that synchronize global brand presence with local preferences. Neglecting these will result in misinterpretation of the marketing message and reduced effectiveness, while successful localization enables companies to successfully engage foreign consumers. Emerging data analysis, advertising test, and social mood tracking technologies allow brands to devise both customized and universally effective strategies, establishing customer confidence and the reputation of a firm in a multitude of cultures.