Copywriters Forum

Hello, I'm wondering whether people have experience working as copywriters in markets other than the English language market? I'm thinking about Mexico but also interested to know about Asia. Assuming a writer has fluency in that language, what has your experience been? I suppose many copywriting skills are transferrable but that a deeper knowledge of the local culture would be needed?

roark wrote: ↑November 27th, 2023, 9:31 pm Hello, I'm wondering whether people have experience working as copywriters in markets other than the English language market? I'm thinking about Mexico but also interested to know about Asia. Assuming a writer has fluency in that language, what has your experience been? I suppose many copywriting skills are transferrable but that a deeper knowledge of the local culture would be needed?

Hey Roark,

That's a good question. I've never worked outside of the English language, but I did ask myself that same question a while back.

And one thing I discovered was, yes, there are definitely cultural differences. And there's also syntax differences in the language that we have to be aware of.

Like here in the US I might say "the girl is riding a bicycle" but in other languages the syntax would swap it around and say "a bicycle is ridden by the girl"

It's a subtle difference but if we get it wrong the natives know we aren't one of them. and it can break rapport.

I have an audiobook called "The Culture Code" by Clotaire Rapaille, which is really insightful when it comes to dealing with other cultures.

Here's a link to a post I wrote about it, a year or so ago, with a link to the book on Amazon if you're interested...

If you sell to different cultures you need to read this...

Wonderful, thanks Steve. Somewhat related, I just came back from Asia and used the to indicate OK, and then later realized that I was not 100% sure it meant the same thing. I checked later and fortunately it did!