𝘈𝘱𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘹 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦: 3 𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘴🕒
For modern marketing teams, localisation is no longer just a “nice to have”; it’s a key lever for revenue growth, brand credibility and customer trust. While translation gets your message into a new language, localisation ensures it lands with cultural fluency.
But what does the data say?
In this blog, we explore what global brands and industry researchers have uncovered about localisation’s impact, and how marketing teams can get it right.
Are luxury brands leading the localisation revolution?
If you’re wondering whether localisation really drives engagement, look to the world’s biggest luxury brands.
A Vogue Business article explores how names like Balenciaga, Prada and Gucci are creating hyper-local campaigns tailored not just to countries, but to cities. Think Tokyo‑specific capsule launches, community-driven events in Seoul, or WeChat-only promotions in China.
These brands understand that regional resonance builds loyalty, especially with Gen Z audiences who value cultural authenticity.
As Vogue Business notes, "Going deeply local helps brands feel more accessible and emotionally connected to the consumer."
This strategy isn’t limited to fashion. At a beauty event hosted by Vogue Business, leaders from Unilever and Estée Lauder discussed how brands that localise visuals, platforms and storytelling see stronger traction, especially in Asia-Pacific and MENA markets.
Going deeply local helps brands feel more accessible and emotionally connected to the consumer.
Localisation ROI is real and measurable
Still need to make the business case?
According to a recent survey, 96% of respondents reported a positive ROI from localisation efforts and 65% saw at least a 3x return.
That aligns with a study featured in The Branding Journal, which found that 84% of companies experienced revenue growth after implementing brand localisation strategies.
As CSA Research puts it in their guide to building a business case for localisation, marketing teams need to talk localisation in terms the C-suite understands: market opportunity, cost-efficiency and margin growth.
The key takeaway?
Localisation doesn’t just support your brand, it amplifies your bottom line.
ROI should not be an afterthought. It must be embedded into how companies evaluate and fund localisation programs.
What smart localisation looks like
Effective localisation aligns content with the culture, trends and behaviours of your audience.
A 2023 peer-reviewed article from the Journal of Digital Marketing and Communication outlines some best practices for adapting campaigns across regions, which we at Wolfestone would support:
- Cultural trend alignment
- Platform preference
- Local influencer partnerships
- Hashtag and idiom localisation
In short: good localisation feels as though it was created locally, not translated globally.
The risks of getting it wrong
Marketing blunders caused by poor localisation are well documented, from mistranslated slogans to culturally tone-deaf images.
But beyond reputational damage, you risk missing the mark entirely, especially in highly competitive or brand-sensitive markets.
And in regulated industries like healthcare or finance, the stakes are even higher. A poorly adapted form, app interface or marketing message could mean non-compliance, legal exposure or loss of consumer trust.
If you want to maximise impact in global markets, localisation isn’t optional. It’s the difference between being heard and being understood.
Get in touch to discuss your next campaign. We offer free consultations, test pieces and expert advice to help you localise with confidence.
𝘒𝘦𝘪𝘳𝘢𝘯 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘸𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘶𝘢𝘨𝘦 𝘴𝘰𝘭𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘦 2021 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘴 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘣𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘴 𝘨𝘰 𝘨𝘭𝘰𝘣𝘢𝘭 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘬𝘦𝘵 𝘴𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘵. 𝘏𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘏𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘔𝘢𝘳𝘬𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘦𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘰𝘧 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘷𝘢𝘭𝘶𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦, 𝘶𝘴𝘦𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘢𝘶𝘥𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘴.
