MENA region is one of the thriving regions around the world. Arabic localization became essential to communicate with your audience in the region. Advertising is the channel that you use to spread awareness of your products to the targeted area. Implementing an Arabic localization strategy on your ads could save you lots of money, time, and prevent legal issues.

Globalization is not as easy as many might think, and translating your ads is not a good strategy to attract customers in new global markets. It requires many aspects such as studying your audience, speaking their language and more to communicate clearly without any obstacles. The thing that might bring you all of these benefits is advertising localization.

What Is Advertising Localization?

Advertising localization is the secret ingredient that will transform your campaigns from one-size-fits-all to tailor-made experiences that resonate deeply with diverse audiences. Unlike traditional approaches that have been used before, localization crafts messages speak directly to locals through adapting to their cultures, languages, and values. This personalized touch creates an instant connection, trust and loyalty to the brand. Adapting visuals, language, and context will convert your brand into a relatable storyteller. Advertising localization will unlock the power of your brand to stand out and to capture attention in every market.
Advertising localization will lead to a higher effect of engagement, increase customer loyalty, and amplified brand impact.

What is Ad Translation?

Advertising translation is capturing your brand’s voice to impact. Some would think it’s about swapping words, but it’s about preserving the heart and soul of your message in a new language.
Translating words might not be enough when it comes to targeting different cultures. You will need different visuals that are suitable for this culture. Some brands start photo shooting new ads or go with advertising localization because they consider it more effective.

According to Forbes, the average American reportedly sees between 4,000 and 10,000 ads every single day. To reach a global audience and to be marked between these ads, advertising is necessary. It’s frequently the initial experience potential customers have with your brand. That has never been truer than it is right now, as the number of entertainment channels keeps expanding.

It’s tempting to choose the simple path. Before swiftly releasing your advertisement into the world, you might add subtitles to an already-existing video or translate your material. But it’s unlikely it will have the outcome you were hoping for. Your brand must emotionally appeal to consumers through your advertisements. You must produce something that resonates deeply with customers in the language and culture of a new market if you want to have a significant influence there. You’ll need to localize your advertisement, which calls for a lot more than just minor tweaks. Advertising localization considers all your business needs to achieve the highest results. Here are some of the benefits that you can get from applying advertising localization on your marketing strategy.

1. Cultural Relevance: Advertising localization ensures that your messages are culturally relevant and sensitive to the values, customs, and preferences of each target market. This resonates more deeply with local audiences and avoids potential cultural misunderstandings that can lead to losing customers and legal issues.
2. Higher Engagement: When advertisements are crafted in the local language and context, not just translated from another language, they capture attention more effectively and engage audiences for longer periods. This engagement increases the chances of customers interacting with your brand.
3. Enhanced Customer Trust: Localized content demonstrates your commitment to understanding and serving the local market. This builds trust and credibility with customers, making them more likely to choose your brand over competitors.
4. Improved Conversion Rates: Advertising that speaks directly to local audiences has a higher likelihood of converting viewers into customers. It addresses their specific needs and pain points, increasing the relevance of your products or services.
5. Competitive Edge: In markets where competitors haven’t invested in localization, your brand gains a competitive advantage by standing out and showing your dedication to connecting with local customers.
6. Brand Consistency: Localization ensures that your brand’s core values and messaging are consistent across different languages and cultures. This consistency reinforces your brand identity globally.
7. Maximized ROI: Targeted advertising that resonates with local audiences generates better returns on your marketing investments. The increased engagement and conversions justify the efforts put into localization.
8. Elevated Customer Experience: By speaking the language of your customers, both literally and figuratively, you create a more personalized and enjoyable customer experience that encourages loyalty.
9. Adaptation to Local Trends: Advertising localization allows you to adapt to local trends, slang, and pop culture references, making your brand appear more relevant and in tune with the local scene.
10. Expanding Market Reach: Effective localization opens doors to new markets and demographics that might have been otherwise inaccessible due to language barriers.
11. Positive Brand Image: When customers see that your brand invests in localization, it conveys a message of respect for diversity and a genuine desire to connect with individuals on a local level.
12. Global Campaign Efficiency: While global campaigns can reach a wide audience, advertising localization ensures that your message is tailored to the unique needs and characteristics of each market.
13. Easier Content Adaptation: Advertising localization sets the foundation for adapting other marketing materials, such as websites, social media, and email campaigns, to specific markets.
14. Effective Multichannel Marketing: With localized content, you can effectively communicate your brand message across various channels, such as social media, print, television, and online platforms.

Advertisement translation might not lead to the same effect that advertising localization could lead to. These five tips will ensure that you have a perfectly localized, creative and suitable for the target audience.

1. The Original Copy Might Be Great, But It Might Not Suit your New Target Audience

Your advertisement has been skillfully designed to win people over, and many people are likely to value it greatly. There is no guarantee that your advertisement will have the cultural context required to have an impact in other markets, as other cultures have quite different expectations. Transcreation should not be feared. To truly elicit an emotional response from your audience, you must demand a certain level of flexibility from the content. The margin of error that separates success from failure is frequently a small one.

2. Take Care of the Details, It Might Hurt Your Goals or Help You Achieve Them

Ensure that your advertisement has the appropriate dates, time formats, currencies, and numbers. The viewers may easily see that the advertisement wasn’t initially created with them in mind if there are errors here. Put in mind the culture of the targeted and ensure that details such as customs, traditional clothes are essential for a successful advertisement.

3. Design and Layout Greatly Affect Engagement

Even if you’ve tried your best to avoid it, there will definitely be some unique cultural references in the original advertisement. Although word choice and tone must always be reviewed during the localization process, design can help you to some level to alleviate this problem. Look for graphics and layouts that can distract viewers from any concepts that don’t quite communicate and make any necessary changes to make your message the main focus. Make sure that your final design is culture appropriate.

4. Get the Locals Opinion or Hire a Localization Agency with Native Localization Experts

Don’t forget to invite someone in the target market to check your advertisement as well. Translators are frequently a valuable source of input for quality issues. Local experts will be able to judge whether or not your content is effective by determining whether or not it actually moves people. This will help you see what your audience sees in your advertisement and will allow you to make decisions about it before publishing.

5. Continuous Improvement, the More You Search the More You Find about Your Audience

A successful advertising localization plan is an evolving process. Monitor key performance indicators, gather feedback, and be open to refinement. A well-crafted plan is a dynamic one, forever evolving in pursuit of excellence and the finest way to reach your internationalization and globalization goals and, of course, your target audience worldwide.
Saudisoft is your partner in crafting localized campaigns that transcend borders and cultures.

To get to know more about advertising localization and how it’s correctly done, looking at localized advertisements is a role that will help a lot. As you will be learning from other companies’ mistakes or their victories.

1. Ikea Localized Advertisement for MENA

Instead of using the translated/ localized version of IKEA’s billboard, IKEA’s marketing team made a huge mistake that cost them a lot. The copy on the billboard “Create your perfect night sleep” should be translated to “اخلق ليلة مثالية للنوم” “akhluq laylatan mithaliatan lilnawm”. Not taking care of the ad’s Arabic version led to negative publicity and created lots of questions in the audience’s mind.

2. McDonald’s Advertising Localization for Gulf

A fascinating example of how McDonald’s localized its earlier this year released ‘Raise your arches’ commercial. The advertisement was initially produced by Leo Burnett London and Edgar Wright, then it was replicated shot for shot for the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) Region by Studio M. The two advertisements stand out in their respective locations because to numerous understated allusions to local culture. Small character changes, like the janitor/caretaker becoming neighborhood security guard at the conclusion, were highlighted as being crucial by the creative team.

3. Apple Advertising Localization for China and +10 Other Countries

To emphasize the camera’s capabilities for the newest iPhones, Apple started the popular “Shot on iPhone 6” campaign. The campaign, which featured a variety of themes, from landscapes to close-ups, was a real hit and took home one of the top awards at the 2015 Cannes Grand Prix Festival. Bright reds, oranges, yellows, blues, purples, and greens make the photo subjects stand out in the new campaign’s “human” approach. The finished images, when incorporated into urban settings, produce both a powerful outdoor advertising campaign and an urban art display. The United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Italy, Turkey, Russia, United Arab Emirates, Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, Japan, India, China, and Thailand are just a few of the 26 nations where the campaign is currently running. The details in each ad, the translation, human figures, and culture and traditional symbols in some photos made the campaign a great example of advertising localization.