How do manners and customs influence the global marketing?

To begin with, manners and customs are fundamental elements of culture and have to be considered in global marketing campaigns. Understanding manners and customs is vital in establishing effective communication. For instance, use of right and left hand for meetings and greetings. In Indonesia, one should eat, offer a gift and shake hands with the right hand. Shaking with the left hand is not considered a proper etiquette. In Asia, it is best to present business cards or gifts or to pass dishes of food using the right hand or both.

Greeting arriving travellers by waving flags is a Danish tradition. Coca-Cola decided to apply this tradition to Denmark’s biggest airport. People could take flags from an outdoor ad of the classic logo of Coca-Cola and welcome their returning relatives and friends and offer them a warm welcome to the “happiest country in the world”.

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How language can affect the global marketing?

Language can be described as the mirror of the culture and undoubtedly is the key element to a country's culture. For example, when there are four languages in a country we have to research for four separate cultures properly before we engage in successful global business ventures. It is necessary to examine thoroughly differences in gestures, dialect and expressions in order to have an effective communication.

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This Dutch advertisement actually means "Mama, that one, that one, that one ..." "Please". In English, this could easily sound as though the child is telling her mother to die, in spite of the fact that the word is not pronounced the same way in the two languages.