Global Branding and those “Minority” Languages: Business Benefits

Superb article in the UK’sĀ Guardian newspaper aboutĀ the business benefits of branding using what are often snottily referred to as “minority” languages:Ā Basque, Cornish, Irish, Welsh, and so on.

Read it here:Ā Let languages shout out your business benefits.

Make no mistake, suchĀ languages offer a competitive edge for domestic and global brands.Ā UsingĀ Irish (Gaeilge) for exampleĀ drivesĀ a multi-million Euro market. Interestingly, these languages are particularly valuable to business when used in the food industry (theĀ localization angle of which, along with sport, we do not hear aboutĀ often enough).

Tayto Crisps: Irish Branding Gets Emoji. There's Irish-language Tayto Crisps too.
Ireland’s famous Tayto Crisps goĀ emoji. ThereĀ are Irish-language Tayto Crisps too. They don’t taste any the worse for Unicode! (Image: Ultan Ɠ Broin)

Of course, usingĀ language to engage consumersĀ does not require sellers orĀ buyersĀ to be even remotelyĀ fluent in it, contrary to whatĀ Willie Brandt claimed.

Not that claims of minority language usageĀ don’t come without their own problems.

 

RELATED ARTICLES

Ultan Ɠ Broin
Ultan Ɠ Broin (@localization), is an independent UX consultant. With three decades of UX and L10n experience and outreach, he specializes in helping people ensure their global digital transformation makes sense culturally and also reflects how users behave locally. Any views expressed are his own. Especially the ones you agree with.

Weekly Digest

Subscribe to stay updated

Ā