Why English still doesn’t work in most countries
Even where English levels are high, local still wins.
From the bottom of my heart mind
Fresh stories from a Spanish Copywriter.
A couple of weeks ago, I posted this on LinkedIn… and went viral:
"Can we just keep it in English?"
If I had a euro for every time I’ve heard that…
Over 130 people had something to say about it.
Many agreed on one thing: even when people understand English, they still want to be talked to in their language.
Let’s look at the data:
Yes, English proficiency in Europe is strong in many countries.
But you know what? That doesn’t mean English copy works.
🇳🇱 Netherlands? Possibly.
🇩🇪 Germany? Depends.
🇫🇮 Finland? Maybe, for some segments.
🇪🇸 Spain? Rarely.
🇫🇷 France? Good luck.
Even in markets with “very high” scores, people don’t always connect emotionally with English-language ads.
And that’s what many commenters echoed:
✅ Understanding is not the same as feeling.
✅ A good level of English doesn’t mean native fluency.
✅ Local language builds familiarity—and trust.
So the next time someone asks “can’t we just keep it in English?”
The answer might be: Sure.
But only if you're happy settling for less impact.
Outside the desk
Where the magic really happens.
⚽ New week, new sport: after nearly 15 years, I’m stepping back onto a football field today to play with some friends.
🎬 I also wanted to make time to watch The Fantastic Four, but didn’t manage. Next week for sure!
📺 What I did watch was the latest season of The Bear. No spoilers, but I didn’t enjoy it as much as the previous ones.
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 💙