It's not the language. It's the culture.
When copy breaks, it’s often not because of the words—but the world behind them.
From the bottom of my heart mind
Fresh stories from a Spanish Copywriter.
In localization, we love to talk about language. Right words. Clear grammar. Native flow.
But more often than not, the real problem isn’t how something is said. It’s what it means in context.
Some ideas just don’t travel well. Not because we can’t translate them. But because they don’t land the same.
Take Black Friday. In the US, it’s urgency, chaos, excitement. In Spain? A relatively new tradition, imported with a bit of side-eye.
Or hustle culture. In some markets, it screams ambition. In others, it sounds toxic.
Or messages like: "Work hard. Dream big." "Be the change." "Disrupt everything."
They might feel inspiring in one place—but disconnected or even cringe in another.
That’s because copy doesn’t just carry information. It carries cultural assumptions.
How we view success. What we celebrate. How we talk to each other. What feels personal. What feels pushy. What feels fake.
And this is why localization isn’t just a linguistic task. It’s a cultural one.
f you want your copy to resonate globally, you have to let go of the idea that one message will work everywhere.
You need to:
Adapt tone beyond words
Reframe ideas if needed
Replace references that don’t click
And sometimes, start from scratch
Because the best localized copy doesn’t sound like a translation. It sounds like it belongs.
So next time your brand message feels off in a new market, don’t ask, “Did we translate this right?”
Ask, “Does this idea mean the same thing here?”
Outside the desk
Where the magic really happens.
🌡️ It’s hot. Very hot. Day and night. This is the topic of the week with literally everyone you talk to in Spain right now.
🏃♂️ With these temperatures, I’m switching up my workout routine:
Running early in the morning (7 AM) and hitting the gym late at night.
🎸 Last weekend I went to see one of my all-time favorite bands: La Raíz. They split up years ago and just came back for a short reunion tour.
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.
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All the best for the rest of your week,
💙 Ricky from Textonality.com 💙