Don't just show up to the party
Brands should be brave and be an important part of the party
From the bottom of my heart mind
Fresh stories from a Spanish Copywriter.
Fun fact: I’ve seen more non-Spanish people drinking sangria than Spanish people.
When I was younger, on every trip I took (Portugal, Lithuania, Italy), I was always asked the same question:
Can you make sangria for tonight? Please, please, please.
It’s the same when I go to a touristy beach town in Spain: if you spot some jars of sangria on the table, chances are the people around it are from Norway, Austria, or the U.S.
People love it. And they instantly associate Spain with sangria.
But what happens when you actually meet someone from Spain or spend some time here with locals? You realize sangria isn’t such a big deal. People drink it from time to time, of course, but we’re more of a beer country.
And in most bars, you won’t even find sangria on the menu.
Point is: if you go to a party in Spain and ask for sangria, people will likely suspect you’re not local.
BUT if instead you drink beer (or calimotxo in the north of Spain), you’ll blend right in.
Now, let’s apply this to localization.
A lot of brands think it’s enough to pretend they’re in a market. Translate everything, adapt the basics, and off they go.
And let’s be honest: that can work pretty well for a while—especially if they’re globally known or if there’s not much competition in their niche.
But that won’t last.
Someone will come after you: a bigger brand, a smarter brand, a more creative brand.
And they’ll win over your customers.
The solution? Be part of that market.
Learn what people drink (what they really drink), what they think, what they talk about.
The Netflix shows they watch. The podcasts they listen to.
Gather all that, and be part of the conversation.
Be seen as someone who actually lives there.
At the end of the day, this is what localization is all about.
Outside the desk
Where the magic really happens.
⛱️ Speaking of drinks—have you heard of horchata? t’s a traditional non-alcoholic drink from Valencia, especially popular in summer. I had my first one this week so… summer is officially here!
🏃♂️ Last Sunday, I ran my first race in over 15 years: 6.2 kilometers at a pretty good pace. Strava, I’m coming for you. 🏅
🧠 I started the second season of The Last of Us.Anyone else completely forgot how the first season ended?
Make it global, baby
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All the best for the rest of your week,
💙 Ricky from Textonality.com 💙