Web Design Around the World – McDonald’s Using the Power of Power Distance
Power distance reflects extent to which members of a society accept an unequal distribution of power as a de facto element of life. Wealth disparities, political agency or lack thereof, and social hierarchies are all facets of how power might be distributed and exercised in a given country.
The Power Distance Index (PDI) assigns a numerical score to each country based on the degree to which individuals there embrace or reject the notion of a hierarchical society. Countries with a higher PDI may have substantial wealth gaps, unequal access to services, and a top-down concentration of political power. Conversely, countries with […] Read more
One KFC, 2 very different experiences: the art of Uncertainty Avoidance.
Hofstede’s dimension of uncertainty avoidance refers to a society’s general tolerance of ambiguity or the unknown. This is reflected in the extent to which a given culture will utilize rules, societal norms and standardized procedures to reduce uncertainty with regard to future events, decisions or occurrences.
The Uncertainty Avoidance Index (UAI) assigns numerical scores to quantify the level of uncertainty avoidance held by individuals in various countries. People in cultures with high uncertainty avoidance prefer to minimize uncertainty with careful planning and regulation as well as a reliance on tradition. Conversely, cultures with low uncertainty avoidance are more open to change […] Read more
Walmart & International Marketing: What NOT to Do
If one were to nominate a poster child for international marketing failures, one would be hard-pressed to identify a candidate more ideal than Walmart. In so many cases over the past several decades, Walmart consistently made the wrong choices when making an entrance into a new market. Walmart’s journeys abroad, whether to China, Germany, Brazil or elsewhere, seem to be met with stumbles at every step — though in many cases, the company has learned and adapted over time.
[…] Read more
Why Is KFC’s International Marketing So Unstoppable?
KFC has made wave after wave in the marketing community due to its resounding success in China. Far and away the country’s most popular American fast food chain, the company is seemingly bulletproof when it comes to its performance with Chinese consumers. KFC became the first American fast food chain to enter the Chinese market when it opened its first restaurant just a short walk from Beijing’s famous Tiananmen Square in 1987. At the time, the three-story branch was KFC’s largest in the world — an impressive start which set the tone for the chain’s continued triumphs in the country.
We’ve […] Read more
In Germany, You Can Never Fly too High – The German SEO Guide
Adidas, Jägermeister and Volkswagen are only a few belonging to Germany’s long list of internationally famous brands. What does it take to enter Europe’s most successful economy? What is the average German customer like? We plunged into data research and spoke with business professionals who know the German market to answer these and many other questions – all in our SEO guide for Germany.
[…] Read more
Christmas Traditions Around the World Put to the Keyword Test
During Christmas season each country has its own special way of celebrating. Americans are crazy about parades, Germans flood town squares to visit Christmas markets and the Japanese get a strange flair for fried chicken. But, when do stereotypes stop reflecting actual reality?
[…] Read more
November Roundup
We know … It’s been a while since our last blog post roundup. But we went totally crazy in November and filled our site with lovely and entertaining international SEO knowledge. If you missed out on the action (Shame on you!) we’ve prepared for your attention (Unless, you were too busy, which we understand.) our favorite blog post picks from the previous month:
[…] Read more
Copywriters Beware! Don’t Joke About Religion in Poland
Poland belongs to one of the most conservative countries in Europe. In the past years the local political scene has been dominated by right-wing parties. Around 85% of all Polish people declare themselves members of the Catholic church. But the actual situation is not black and white, as only 20% of Poles go to church regularly. The main SEO question is: How does this effect content marketing?
[…] Read more
Polish False Friends – When “Data” Means “Date”
Polish people are very proud of their language. In fact, they’re so proud local copywriters are instructed to avoid using English parasite words. Nevertheless, there might be some words which sound familiar to the English ear, but don’t get excited too soon.
[…] Read more
How Not to Overstep in to the Icelandic Market? SEO Tips for Iceland
Three reasons why market in Iceland: there’s little foreign competition, most Icelanders speak English and customers value quality over price. Though a customer pool of around 336,00 people sounds small, it’s exactly why word about your products can spread fast. By digging in to cultural specifics and talking with locals about the Icelandic digital marketing scene we’ve written up the perfect SEO tips for Iceland.
[…] Read more