From Unique Selling Point to Unique Local Point
Why your USP needs a passport.
From the bottom of my heart mind
Fresh stories from a Spanish Copywriter.
This October, I spent a few weeks teaching in a Digital Marketing master’s program.
And as always, one topic sparked more questions than anything else: the value proposition.
What it is. How to build one. And why most brands have one that only works… in their own country.
A Unique Selling Point (USP) is supposed to make your brand stand out. But in reality, most USPs are built on assumptions that don’t travel well.
👉 In the US, being “the fastest” or “the first” works.
👉 In Spain, it often sounds arrogant.
👉 In Germany, it sounds unproven.
👉 In Italy, it’s irrelevant if you’re not also enjoyable.
The truth is: your USP isn’t universal — it’s perceived.
When I work with international teams, I like to reframe it this way:
You don’t need a Unique Selling Point.
You need a Unique Local Point.
Because what makes your brand different in one market might make it invisible in another.
A “no-nonsense” brand voice that builds trust in English might sound cold in Spanish. A “smart” tagline might feel distant in a language that values warmth. Even your idea of “premium” changes — in some cultures it’s efficiency, in others it’s generosity.
So before adapting your USP, ask:
What does “value” mean to this audience?
What does “trust” sound like here?
And how does this culture define “different”?
Once you answer that, your value proposition becomes more than a translation — it becomes a connection.
Outside the desk
Where the magic really happens.
✈️ My first week in the Philippines included a stop in China, a typhoon, some surfing, and meeting amazing people along the way.
📚 I also finished reading my first Boris Vian book (The Foam of the Daze) — unique in a good way, and one of those that really makes you think.
🌴 Working abroad also means working outside the desk: from the bed to airports, cafés, and even the beach.
Make it global, baby
If you want to work with me, this is the way.
🚀 Want to take your brand to the next Spanish level? Hit the “reply” bottom and let’s talk.
📬 Want to appear in one of the next issues? Let’s see how we can work it out.
Thanks for reading today’s newsletter. If you enjoyed the content, feel free to share it with your workmates, friends, family and pets so we can grow together.
You can also reply to this email and let me know what you think about it. We are in this together, compa.
All the best for the rest of your week,
💙 Ricky from Textonality.com 💙