The first thing people think when they consider selling their product in another country is "I need to get everything translated".  And that's true.  But, it's much more than that.  Something as simple as the colors used on the marketing materials, product packaging and even the product itself can determine your product's success in another country.

For instance, when you see these colors, what is your first thought or emotion?

• Red
• Green
• Black
• White
• Orange
• Blue

If you live in the United States, many of us attribute colors to certain holidays.  Others think of a season.  And others think of an even such as a wedding or funeral.  When I think of "Orange", I think of Halloween.  "Red" and "Green" scream Christmas to me.  "Green" by itself represents the environment and the spring season.  "Blue" signifies baby boys just as "Pink" is for baby girls.  But those are my opinions based on living in the United States and my cultural surroundings.

These same colors mean different things in other countries.  Here are a few examples:

• Red - Worn by brides in Eastern Countries and China.  (If you were selling wedding dresses to the Middle East or China, definitely something to keep in mind.)
• Green - Green hats in  China mean a man's wife is cheating on him.
• Black - The color for young boys in China.
• White - This represents mourning or grieving in Japan.
• Pink - In Korea, pink represents "trust".

The bottom line is that in regards to product development, retail packaging and advertising; everything is designed around colors.  It's worth doing a little research to see what your colors signify in the countries where your product will be sold.

Here is a very interesting graphic from Fast Company which shows what colors mean in different cultures:

On your next global marketing project, please contact us for both your translation and your marketing needs.  We will make sure you communicate the right message in both words and images.