To truly be successful internationally, brands need more than just a simple understanding of foreign markets. In order to thrive, companies need to be building brand trust while dealing with cross-cultural challenges across diverse cultures, & developing specialised strategies that resonate with distinct audiences.
This evolution from international communication to intercultural competence is the core focus of Episode 26 of “International Expansion Explained,” where I spoke with Lena Zeger, a communication strategist whose expertise has been honed over a decade in various sectors.
Table of Contents
Lena Zeger: A Journey Rooted in Curiosity and Culture
Lena’s journey into the world of intercultural communication began with her natural curiosity for different cultures. Growing up, her fascination with travel and different lifestyles sparked a desire to explore beyond her immediate environment. “From a young age, I was drawn to the idea of understanding various cultures and connecting with people from different backgrounds,” she reflects. This fascination eventually led to her pursuit of a degree in communication.
Her early struggles with language acquisition meant Lena found ways to overcome the limitations imposed by traditional education systems. “Those experiences were formative; they made me realise that communication extends beyond language,” she noted, highlighting that the essence of culture is about shared experiences and understanding contexts.
After completing her studies, Lena stepped into her first role in the tourism sector in Spain, where the natural convergence of diverse cultures offered a practical arena for refining her communication skills. As a travel assistant, she was responsible for facilitating interactions between clients from various backgrounds and the service providers. “The tourism industry functions on the premise of understanding and adapting to what the customer needs,” she explained. This initial exposure provided a solid foundation for her eventual deeper investment in intercultural communication.
Transitioning into corporate communication marked a pivotal point in Lena’s career. She learned how language, brand messaging, and audience viewpoints could dramatically influence perceptions and engagement. “Working in corporate environments taught me that the stakes are often higher; it’s not just about making a sale. It’s about conveying trust, reliability, and understanding,” Lena shared.
Her diverse background spans tourism, banking, mobility, and the cruise industries, and every step of her journey has contributed layers to her understanding of global communication dynamics.
Each new sector reinforced my belief in the importance of cultural sensitivity.
Lena Zeger
I like Lena’s approach to putting the humans front and centre in all efforts at building brand trust while dealing with cross-cultural challenges, so that we’re truly talking about going from international to intercultural. Just sending a package over the nearest border is international (& in the EU at least, extremely simple) but that doesn’t mean that your company is already really set up for success – that requires the mindset switch to intercultural
Start With Strategy, or “Understanding the ‘Why’ Behind Market Expansion”
Setting the Foundation for Building Brand Trust
Before diving into a new market, it’s tempting to think that a successful product or campaign can simply be transferred from one country to another. However, this assumption often leads to frustration, wasted resources, and underwhelming results. Dealing with cross cultural challenges begins well before a product hits the shelves or a campaign goes live. It starts with clarity of purpose.
Every market expansion should be rooted in a clear understanding of why a brand wants to grow internationally. Is it to tap into a larger consumer base? To diversify risk? To follow existing customers as they expand globally? When the strategy is unclear, teams often default to familiar approaches from their home market & that can backfire spectacularly.
The Importance of Research Before Entering a Market
Lena highlighted how easily things can go wrong without proper market research. She shared the story of a Spanish client expanding into Austria. On paper, the two markets may not seem so different. But what tripped up the client was their assumption that a tone of communication that worked well in Spain would feel just as engaging to Austrian customers. In reality, the approach came across as overly emotional and insincere.
This is a classic example of how surface-level similarities between cultures can hide deeper differences in values, expectations, and communication styles. In Austria, particularly outside of Vienna, people often value a more measured and direct style. The client hadn’t done enough groundwork to understand this and ended up with messaging that alienated rather than attracted potential customers.
Why “Copy-Paste” Rarely Works
In our discussion, we returned again and again to the idea that copy-pasting communication strategies rarely works. It may save time in the short term, but brands pay the price later in missed opportunities and damaged reputation.
Even when two countries share a language or regional proximity, their cultural contexts can differ enormously. What counts as humour in one place might be seen as sarcasm in another. What seems friendly and engaging to one audience might feel pushy or overbearing to another. These are not minor tweaks but fundamental shifts in how people interpret your brand.
Balancing Brand Values With Local Relevance
This doesn’t mean that companies should completely abandon their identity every time they enter a new market. A strong brand is anchored in consistent values, but it also needs to adapt how those values are expressed to resonate locally.
As Lena pointed out, it’s about keeping your essence while translating your tone. It’s not enough to be “global” – you have to be glocal: thinking globally while acting locally. Successful international brands understand how to preserve what makes them unique while still adapting their voice, visuals, and behaviours to meet local expectations.
The Necessity of International Communication Strategies
An international communication strategy is about much more than translating messages into different languages. It encompasses understanding context, tone, and relevance across various cultural landscapes. This is like building your foundation for all the rest of the activities that come later in your expansion journey.
Communication, especially in international business, is about ensuring your message truly lands with the audience in a way they can relate to. There are very few brands that can rely on a single, global marketing message. Most international communication has to be far more nuanced.
Lena argued that failing to have a well-defined communication strategy can lead to significant challenges. For instance, many businesses may launch products overseas without adequately researching the potential market, resulting in poor reception or even public relations disasters. “It’s about finding the line between what speaks to a universal audience and what requires a local touch,” she noted.
Moreover, Lena emphasised that brands should view international communication as an opportunity to engage in meaningful dialogue with new audiences. Inconsistencies in messaging can really damage brand reputation; for instance, a campaign that resonates in one market may fall flat or even backfire in another. “With the global reach of social media, messages can spread quickly, and any misstep can lead to immediate backlash,” she warned.
Attracting Diverse Talent
In our discussion, Lena also touched on how international communication strategies are instrumental in attracting a diverse talent pool. “A company that embodies cultural awareness can significantly enhance its ability to recruit and retain employees,” she said. “These organisations not only appeal to diverse candidates but also foster an environment where those employees feel valued and understood.”
When potential employees see a company’s commitment to cultural awareness, they’re more likely to engage.
Lena
She emphasised that a successful brand is often recognised not just for its products or services but also for its corporate culture. Organisations that actively promote diversity and inclusion and demonstrate cultural competence are better positioned to attract talent from a variety of backgrounds.
If you’re not embracing that range and flexibility in communication, you’re limiting your reach, not just in customer terms, but also internally, with your team. It’s about striking a balance. On the one hand, you want to maintain brand consistency and a unified message. But on the other, you have to tailor that message to connect with specific groups in meaningful ways.
Balancing Global Brand Consistency with Local Adaptation
One of the most challenging aspects of international expansion is achieving a balance between maintaining a consistent global brand and adapting to local cultures.
Global brands need a strategy that allows them to leverage a unified identity while being flexible enough to adapt to local nuances.
Lena
Even the slightest changes in colour, messaging, or design can influence consumer perceptions. For example, while some regions might embrace bold and vibrant branding, others may favour understated elegance. Cultural context dictates consumer response and understanding these subtleties is crucial for brand integrity and resonance.
Lena provided several real-world examples of successful adaptations. A fast-food chain might have a signature burger that is wildly popular in one country but would need localisation in others due to dietary restrictions or cultural preferences. For instance, introducing vegetarian options in predominantly vegetarian cultures (McDonalds in India!) or adjusting spice levels to cater to local palates illustrates how brands can honour consumer preferences while maintaining their core offerings.
Localisation vs. Translation
Think about if you were even marketing a job opening to different generations within your own country. The language style you select would be very different if you are looking to attract apprentices to a drugstore retailer compared to filling a role as CEO of a crane producer. Now take that example into a foreign market where you personally don’t understand the nuance of the culture….
Communication ≠ Words Alone
One of the most common misconceptions in international marketing is the idea that translating your content into another language is enough to connect with new customers. In reality, communication is never just about words. It’s about tone, emotion, context, and cultural resonance. Localisation is the art of shaping your message so that it feels right to the audience you’re trying to reach. (As you can see if you compare, these points should also be at the heart of your international communications strategy!)
When dealing with cross cultural challenges, brands must go beyond swapping out vocabulary. They need to consider how people interact with content, what kind of messaging feels authentic, and how visuals and design are interpreted differently in each culture.
What True Localisation Involves
True localisation takes into account the full spectrum of communication:
- Tone: Is your message playful, serious, authoritative, or friendly? That answer might vary market to market.
- Channels: Are your customers in Vietnam engaging more with TikTok or Facebook? Do South Koreans prefer KakaoTalk over email?
- Values: Are you promoting individualism in a country that prioritises community?
- Visuals: Are your colours culturally appropriate? Do your symbols mean what you think they do?
This process requires a blend of marketing intelligence and cultural empathy. It’s not just about making sure you’re understood, it’s about making sure you’re accepted.
For example, when HiPP launched skin care products for babies I was keen to list these in my export markets. My partners in Israel told me: the packaging is too small – families here are often large and focus on value for money so a 1l bottle is the minimum. In Vietnam, I was told, those bottles are too large: babies are so tiny and only need a drop of the product at a time. Families can’t afford to spend so much at once. You can imagine, it was a bit of a Goldilocks moment!
Challenges When Head Office “Owns” Communication
Many companies struggle when their central office insists on controlling all communication. While it may help maintain consistency, it often results in tone-deaf content when there is no local insight involved. A German headquarters, for example, might produce campaigns that reflect the values and tone of their home market (ie. direct, efficiency-focused, and concise) and then push those same materials into Southern Europe, where communication norms are typically warmer and more expressive.
Without local context, even the best-intentioned campaigns can feel cold or out of touch. Worse, they can actively alienate the audience they’re trying to win over.
Real-World Example: German Directness in Spain
Lena shared an illustrative case of a company trying to adapt a very German approach for the Spanish market. In Germany, being direct and precise is seen as a sign of competence. In Spain, however, the same approach can come across as abrupt or even rude. The content had to be softened and made more personal to feel appropriate to local customers – not because the product was different, but because the people reading about it were.
Don’t ignore the limitations of automated translation tools, which often overlook the subtle nuances that can lead to miscommunication. “For example, a joke that works in one culture might be completely meaningless or offensive in another,” Lena noted. “Localisation requires deep cultural awareness.”
Cultural Research: Steps for Success
Effective cultural research is essential for companies eager to explore new markets. During the podcast, Lena outlined several key steps to streamline cultural research, which include:
- Understand Local Norms and Values: The first step involves thoroughly understanding the core values and social norms of the target culture. This foundational knowledge helps inform product adaptation and marketing strategies.
- Engage Local Experts: Building relationships with local experts can provide invaluable insights. Local consultants can guide companies, helping them navigate the cultural landscape and avoid common pitfalls.
- Competitor Analysis: Observing competitor strategies allows brands to recognize market trends and consumer preferences. By analyzing what resonates within a market, companies can tailor their approach to better meet local needs.
- Pilot Testing and Feedback Loop: Before a full-fledged launch, executing pilot programs helps gauge consumer reactions. Collecting feedback during these tests allows for adjustments before broader rollouts.
- Continual Learning and Adaptation: Embracing a mindset of continual learning and willingness to adapt is imperative in intercultural environments. A willingness to pivot based on ongoing feedback helps maintain cultural relevance.
Tailoring Marketing Messages by Market – international to intercultural
Tone, Trust and Timing
When expanding into new markets, a one-size-fits-all approach to communication simply doesn’t work. Different regions have different expectations around tone, trust-building and how quickly people make decisions. What feels confident and trustworthy in one culture may feel aggressive or inappropriate in another.
People often underestimate how much tone influences trust. Take Austria and Spain as examples. In Austria, a more direct and structured approach to communication is seen as professional. In Spain, that same tone can feel cold or even impolite. Similarly, a highly formal email that might be well received in Korea could feel stilted or overly rigid in the UK, where a lighter and more conversational tone is common even in business settings.
Timing also matters. In some markets, people expect fast decisions and rapid replies. In others, relationship-building and patience are essential before moving forward with any sort of commitment.
The Role of Formality and Hierarchy in Building Brand Trust
Understanding the underlying values of each culture is crucial, especially when it comes to hierarchy and formality. In many Asian markets, such as Korea, hierarchy is embedded in everyday business communication. You generally address people by title, observe seniority in meetings, and manage feedback very carefully. This formality shapes not just conversations, but the entire tone of marketing and internal messaging.
In Latin America, there’s also an emphasis on respect and formality, though it’s often expressed through warmth and elaborate politeness. In contrast, much of Northern and Western Europe values equality and informality in the workplace. If you are too formal in those markets, it might make you seem distant or even suspicious.
When dealing with cross cultural challenges, it’s not just about having a good product. It’s about understanding how to talk about that product in a way that aligns with the expectations, values and emotional drivers of the local audience.
Compare & contrast – 2 completely different styles of VW ads
Internal communication is an often overlooked success factor
The Human Element
When people talk about international expansion, the focus is often on branding, sales and marketing strategy. But what is often overlooked is how internal communication plays a key role in whether those strategies succeed or fail. If local teams and headquarters are not aligned, even the best marketing messages will fall flat in execution. (You can also find a more detailed discussion on internal comms in an interview I did with Kate Isichei)
Lena made the point that internal communication is a core part of building intercultural competence. It’s not just about understanding the customer. It’s also about making sure that people inside your organisation can understand and support one another, regardless of where they are based.
Getting Your Local Team and HQ Aligned
When a company expands into new markets, the local team is often best placed to understand what messaging will work. But if HQ doesn’t listen, or struggles to interpret feedback, the result can be miscommunication and missed opportunities.
Lena shared a compelling example of Spanish colleagues working with an Austrian team. The Austrians gave feedback in their usual style, which tends to be direct and brief. For the Spanish colleagues, this tone felt abrupt and unhelpful. They were expecting a bit more context or encouragement, and didn’t recognise the comments as constructive feedback. As a result, the Spanish team felt demotivated, and the Austrians were confused about why their input wasn’t being acted on.
This kind of breakdown is all too common when there isn’t a shared understanding of how communication styles differ & a key part of what makes dealing with cross-cultural challenges so complex.
The Role of Internal Comms in Market Adaptation
It’s easy to overlook internal comms as a tactical or background function, but it’s actually essential for local success. Whether it’s aligning on timelines, adapting global campaigns for regional use, or sharing market insights up the chain, the way teams communicate internally will influence the company’s ability to adapt quickly and effectively.
Intercultural training can help bridge the gap. It’s not enough to expect people to just “figure it out”. Teams need to be trained to understand the cultural norms of their colleagues, so that feedback, requests and updates are received in the spirit they were intended.
Training for Mutual Understanding
Both sides need to adapt. Often the focus is on training local teams to understand the global business culture. But just as importantly, people at headquarters need to be educated about local communication styles and expectations.
Training programmes need to build mutual understanding. Whether the employee is based in the home market or in the new local market, they should be able to interpret each other’s intent clearly. That’s what allows collaboration to flow and avoids misunderstandings that can slow down projects or create unnecessary friction.
For example, some teams prefer the so-called “sandwich method” when giving feedback. This involves starting with a positive, delivering the critique in the middle, and ending with another positive. Others, like many in Austria or the Netherlands, often go straight to the point. If these styles clash without explanation, people may take offence or simply miss the key message. Knowing how and when to give the right feedback is a key learning on the journey from international to intercultural.
Good internal communication is not just about what is said, but how it is said and understood. It is one of the most human parts of international business, and yet also one of the most strategically important.
Are those Country-Specific Stereotypes Real or Imagined?
Challenging Internal Bias
When entering new markets, one of the biggest risks is walking in with unchecked assumptions. These can come from previous experiences, second-hand stories or even stereotypes we didn’t realise we held. Internal biases can quietly shape expansion plans, often without anyone noticing. They influence everything from how teams are built to how marketing messages are framed.
It’s vital to go into a new market with open eyes. Research isn’t just about understanding external customer needs, but also about questioning the internal narratives we might bring with us. If those narratives are based on outdated or oversimplified views, they can do more harm than good.
Dealing with Stereotypes Within the Same Country
Interestingly, some of the strongest assumptions aren’t cross-border but internal. Within a single country, regions often hold strong opinions about one another. These perceptions can be just as limiting as national stereotypes and often harder to spot because they feel so familiar.
In Austria where we are both based, people from Vorarlberg and Tyrol often see themselves as quite distinct from one another, despite being neighbours. For outsiders, these western regions of Austria might seem culturally unified, but internally, people are quick to say, “They’re not like us.” The local mindset, shaped by geography and history, plays a big role in identity.
Understanding Regional Divides: Austria’s Western States vs Vienna
Nowhere is this regional tension more evident than in the perception of Vienna. Lena laughed as she shared that people from all over Austria seem to enjoy criticising the Viennese. There’s a long-standing belief that people in Vienna are unfriendly or overly formal. What’s fascinating is that even the travel guides mention it, making it almost official.
But Lena challenged that idea, saying it doesn’t reflect her own experience. This discrepancy between reputation and reality highlights the need to do your own homework. Just because something is widely believed doesn’t mean it’s true. More importantly, relying on such views when making business decisions can lead to costly mistakes.
Ultimately, whether you’re working across countries or within them, recognising the diversity that exists beneath the surface is key. Stereotypes might be easy shortcuts, but they rarely help in the long run. It’s far better to approach each market, each region and each team with curiosity and a willingness to understand them on their own terms.
Ground-Level Research: Don’t Rely on the HQ Bubble
Learning From Locals
One of the recurring themes in the discussion was the danger of making decisions solely from the headquarters’ perspective. Even well-intentioned teams can fall into the trap of thinking they know best simply because they have a global view. However, without local voices involved, brands risk building strategies that completely miss the mark.
Real insight comes from speaking directly to the people on the ground. It is not enough to rely on high-level market reports or what the sales data seems to suggest. Truly effective localisation means listening deeply to the people who live and work in the market every day.
Methods for Gathering Qualitative Cultural Insights
Rather than making assumptions, Lena recommended a structured approach to gathering cultural insights. Before building any kind of strategy, she conducts a series of structured interviews with local team members. These conversations are designed to uncover subtleties that might never appear in a spreadsheet or a report. Things like customer expectations, preferred communication styles, and even local attitudes towards competitors can emerge through these discussions.
By systematically talking to local teams, Lena ensures that the strategy is based not only on the brand’s aspirations but also on the lived experiences of the people who know the market best. It is an approach that respects local expertise while still keeping the overall business objectives in view.
Success lies in getting out of the head office bubble. Real competitive advantage comes from humility, curiosity and a commitment to learning from the people who know the market better than anyone else: the locals themselves.
Who Should Care About This? Roles and Responsibilities in Communication Strategy
Who Needs to Get Involved
When it comes to successfully navigating cross-cultural challenges, it is not just the marketing department’s job. Multiple teams need to be involved to truly adapt a brand’s strategy to new markets. Export managers, marketing teams, leadership, and even customer service should all have a seat at the table when developing and refining communication strategies for international audiences.
Export managers are often the ones closest to the market realities. They are usually having regular conversations with distributors and local partners, and they pick up on nuances that might otherwise be missed. Marketing teams, meanwhile, are critical for shaping the actual messaging and visuals that will be used to engage consumers. Leadership also needs to be engaged because strategic buy-in at the highest level is essential for ensuring that the necessary resources and flexibility are available.
Why Top-Down Isn’t Always Best
A top-down approach, where decisions are made solely by headquarters and pushed out to local markets, rarely delivers the best results. When local teams are not consulted, there is a high risk of creating campaigns or materials that simply do not resonate. Worse, it can lead to frustration and disengagement among the local teams themselves.
Head office may have a strong sense of the brand’s core values, but it is the local teams who best understand how those values can and should be expressed in a culturally appropriate way. Without their input, brands can inadvertently dilute their impact or even damage their reputation in a new market.
Instead of dictating strategies from the top, Lena advocates for a collaborative approach. This means involving local teams early and often, listening carefully to their feedback, and allowing space for adaptation within a clear overall brand framework.
Getting Buy-In Across Departments
Securing cross-departmental buy-in is another crucial element for success. When departments work in silos, it is almost inevitable that mixed messages will be sent to the market. Marketing may be pushing one message, sales another, and leadership a third, creating confusion for both customers and partners.
One of the ways to overcome this is to ensure regular, structured communication between departments. Setting up clear processes for sharing insights from the field, aligning on messaging before materials are finalised, and conducting joint training sessions were some of the practical solutions discussed.
Fostering a mindset of mutual respect between headquarters and local teams makes a massive difference. When teams feel heard and valued, they are much more likely to actively contribute their best ideas and insights. In the end, effective cross-cultural leadership is not just about tactics. It is about building strong internal relationships that allow a brand to truly thrive on the international stage.
Why Dealing With Cross-Cultural Challenges Is Everyone’s Business If You Want To Move from International to Intercultural
Whether you are launching baby food into Spain, adapting skincare packaging for Israel, or simply trying to align HQ with your Austrian field team, one truth holds firm: cultural sensitivity in international communication will be a core success factor. It is not just about translating words or tweaking a colour scheme. It is about understanding how people think, communicate, and build trust — and that varies widely from one culture to another.
Success in building an international brand lies in creating space for listening and learning. That includes being open to feedback, challenging your own assumptions, and involving people at every level — from HQ decision-makers to local teams on the ground.
Strong internal communication, genuine localisation, and respect for cultural nuance are not optional extras. They are the foundation for international growth and important cross-cultural leadership strategies. And that makes dealing with cross-cultural challenges not just a communication issue, but a strategic imperative.
Lena’s insights into the transition from international to intercultural communication remind us that successful globalisation is not merely about the act of expanding but rather about actively engaging with the other cultures. Businesses must embrace these complexities, prioritise ongoing cultural research, and invest in tailored strategies that resonate with diverse international audiences.
Lena’s commitment to guiding organizations, especially those extending their reach into Spanish-speaking (incl. LatAm), highlights the importance of respecting and adapting to cultural intricacies. As she succinctly put it, “It’s about being open to seeing the world through different eyes. Every culture has a unique perspective, and understanding that is key to successful communication.”
You can watch my full discussion with Lena here:
Reach out to Lena here for details of how to work together:
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/l-z/
- Website: https://comm-ocean.com/
- Email: [email protected]
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Kathryn firmly believes that business is done between people, and therefore places her focus on building strong relationships that form a solid foundation for doing business.
When she's not travelling around the world, Kathryn enjoys playing clarinet in her town's wind orchestra or sharing her love of the outdoors with her Scout group.
Very informative and useful post. Thank you so much for sharing this.