In less than a month Christmas will be upon us! Christmas is a very important event for everyone and a lot of companies want to use this moment as an occasion to communicate with their customers. But it’s important to realise that in each country / region where you want to promote yourself you will probably need specific content.
Indeed, Christmas celebrations are not the same all over the world, there is more to it than just gifts under the tree and family singing. Some populations celebrate Christmas by going to church, while others fill their villages with candles.
As you can imagine, Christmas is not celebrated in the same way in every country. This is why companies must adapt and localise their content according to the customs and traditions of each country. This article outlines the customs of different countries to enable you to adapt your communication for this beautiful event that is Christmas.
First of all, depending on the country you choose to communicate with, you need to know the summer period there. Because if for you Christmas means snow, nightfall at 4pm or a fireplace, it’s not totally true. In South Africa or Brazil you are more likely to find yourself on the beach than by the fire. That’s why if you want to promote a miracle product against the cold at Christmas, it’s smart to find out where it will be cold. But this doesn’t just work for the product, it’s also important to localise your content.
That’s why localizing your content is unavoidable so that you don’t miss out on what can be a very important time for your business.
Christmas in Greece : The Christmas boat
It is not Christmas trees that are traditionally decorated but rather boats. As a maritime country, in Greece it is more common to decorate a small fishing boat called “Karavaki” with lights to illuminate your home or village.
It is therefore best to avoid investing in advertising for Christmas decorations to put on your Christmas tree such as large garlands in Greece.
Christmas in Austria : Krampus or Santa Claus
If you are used to seeing a festive parade in the streets during Christmas, change your habits if you visit Austria. We often see Father Christmas or Saint Nicholas parading around, but in Austria, it is the ghoulish creatures called “Krampus” that parade through the streets. They are sent to the streets to punish some children before Christmas.
Christmas in Germany : Pickles in Christmas tree
In Germany, the Christmas tradition is to put a pickle in the Christmas tree. This pickles will be hidden in the tree and the person who finds it will receive another present.
This is really only a German tradition. This is why it is important to remember that a tradition that is reliable in one country isn’t necessarily in another.
Christmas in Japan : Kentucky for Christmas
Celebrate Christmas with fast food? Impossible for you? Well, it turns out that in some families in Japan it’s a tradition to eat in a fast food restaurant, more precisely in KFC since the 70’s
The country has no real traditions for Christmas so KFC came to Japan and decided that sharing the brand’s chicken with the family would be that tradition. This seems unrealistic and yet this has been going on for more than 4 decades… So you could say that this is a great marketing move that has been made by the brand.
As you will have noticed, you need to adapt your content and communication to the countries, cultures and regions in which you want to get your message across. It is therefore essential to know the traditions of the countries before launching a marketing campaign. At 2002 Studios Media, we are experts in content localisation and would be happy to localise yours.
Our teams would like to wish you a Merry Christmas, Happy Chanukah and a Happy New Year. 2002 Studios Media remain at your disposal to provide you with the service you need.