2.- ENGLISH IS DEAD. LONG
LIVE “GLOCALISATION”!
By
Nathalie Nahai
'The Web
Psychologist'
When the
internet was first conceived, it was to English-speaking parents.
Its
nascent language, HTML, was programmed by an Englishman, Sir Tim Berners-Lee,
and the first computers to be shipped across the world used the Roman alphabet.
It was a
colonialism of sorts, albeit a predominantly benign one - an online reality to
which we have since become unusually accustomed.
However,
as is often the case, this kind of blanket adoption can lead to complacency.
Until now it's been all too easy simply to launch a platform or website
according to Western standards and hope for the best.
The fact
that Google Translate is used hundreds of millions of times a week, in more
than 52 different languages, is a great justification for the hordes of us
hoping to reach global audiences by creating one-size-fits-all solutions.
It's
become the get-out clause for those of us too lazy or cash-strapped to consider
the end users' needs, whether they're accessing our site from the co-working
space round the corner or from a start-up business on the other side of the
world.
Cultural cannibalism
In recent
years we've witnessed a loosening of this anglicised grip, with Mandarin and
Spanish thrashing it out as linguistic heavyweights, fiercely contending for
the top spot.
Although
the picture is not entirely representative (many online users claim English as
their second language), this shift from an English-speaking, Western monopoly
hints at a future in which personalised online experiences will become
increasingly tailored to cultural sensitivities.
“Start Quote
It's
genius. But more than that, when it comes to online success, it's vital”
End Quote
A future
that is already taking hold at grass roots level.
Contrary
to initial doom and gloom predictions - that the Western web would assimilate
non-Western users in an act of cultural cannibalism - many online communities
have, instead, co-opted online standards and adapted them to meet their needs -
an effect known as "glocalisation".
What's
fascinating is that in many cases these adaptations have not been made at a
conscious level.
For
instance internet users in
Yet their
younger peers (16-25) exhibit an adaptation of this behaviour, scanning in the
same eye-gaze pattern but only above the fold of the page.
It's a
small difference, but one that points towards the gradual, quiet cultural
shifts that are starting to shape the future of our online world(s).
Global
players
It's not
only the end users who are doing the adapting, either. All global platforms -
whether a Fortune 500 website, social network, or blog - exist simultaneously
within a complex spectrum of different cultural contexts.
Those
businesses smart enough to understand this fact are already capitalising on it
to drive engagement and, subsequently, their bottom line.
Take
Coca-Cola for instance. If you want an example of conscious glocalisation in
action, go look at the following websites and do a simple compare and contrast:
cocacola.co.za (
Far from
diluting their brand, Coca-Cola's ability to incorporate their trademark design
(that fabulous red and curvy typographic style) within the cultural, aesthetic
sensibilities of their customers not only allows them to retain their impact,
but to actively enhance it.
And all
because they have taken the time to research their customers to produce a
glocalised, culturally-adapted site designed specifically for that audience.
It's genius.
But more
than that, when it comes to online success, it's vital.
There are
many ways in which we can adapt our online platforms for better engagement -
from researching our audience's age and gender, to their social group, country
of origin and level of digital literacy.
But one
thing is certain: if we are serious about reaching out to a global community,
whether as customers, businesses or peers, we have to start responding to the
cultural contexts in which we relate and engage online.
If you
don't, you'll be left behind.
Nathalie
Nahai is author of 'Webs of Influence: The Psychology of Online Persuasion'.
Her blog can be read here, and she tweets at @TheWebPsych.
BBC © 2012