Originally Published PMPN October
2004
Brand Matters
Raise the Flag
When designating global audiences, companies should pay close attention to the explicit and implicit meaning of icons.
by Robert C.
Sprung
TippingSprung LLC
 |
| Robert C. Sprung |
Everything seems to be going international these days—from packaging to instructional inserts, from Web sites to marketing brochures. Increasingly, the printed and on-line materials we produce are filled with navigation signposts for international users. For example, to find information about Korea on a Web site, one user clicks on that country on a world map. Another selects the word Chinese from a pop-up list of available languages. An instructional insert introduces the German-language version with an icon of the German flag. These simple acts of designating a language present a number of challenges to today’s packaging professional.
What’s the Spanish for Spanish?
Using the names of many languages in English hardly seems user-friendly. It
is akin to a voicemail prompt in English, such as, “press 3 if you speak
Japanese.” But using the translated name (e.g., Suomi instead of Finnish)
opens up other issues.
Native words for languages can be confusing, especially to English speakers
responsible for managing or printing the material. For example, the Slovak word
for Slovak is “slovenŠcina” and the Slovene word for Slovene
is “slovenŠsŠcina.” Some companies have it both ways: The
list might be in English, but the native version might appear when the mouse
glides over the word.
Next comes the order in which the languages appear. Unless the listing is alphabetic
or random, any listing might convey a sense of favoritism. Whatever order is
chosen, programmers must ensure that links function properly (otherwise the
word Deutsch might take you to the Arabic version).
Marketing should have a clear and consistent strategy to determine which languages
are included. If you have a large market in Canada and not France, it may be
preferable to use Canadian French. Some companies splurge on both Canadian and
Parisian versions.
Another signpost is language abbreviations, but there is no clear standard here.
Some opt for the ISO standard language designation (which may be a two-letter
or a three-letter designation), but those who want to differentiate between
the two versions of French would be left without an option. Others use the UN’s
international license-plate codes, while others opt for the standard Internet
country domains. However, the geographical designation raises some of the same
challenges as maps and flags described below.
A Lesson in Geography
Perhaps the most common way of designating language is through geography with
a map of the world. The first problem comes from multiple languages spoken in
a single country (Switzerland has four official languages, Belgium at least
three, and Canada two).
A label or Web site that uses the silhouette of a country may also alienate
some native speakers. It hardly sends a message of sensitivity to have an Austrian
click on Germany, a Canadian on France, or a Columbian on Spain to reach their
local-language version.
Flag Waiving
National flags might be the most popular way to designate a locale or language,
but the same caveats relating to maps apply. A software company, Trados, has
cleverly addressed the issue by blending the flags of several countries into
a single icon.
One should also consider a small production detail: Flags make sense only when
viewed in color; in gray scale, many are indistinguishable.
Finally, some companies get creative with their choice of icons. Landmarks,
such as Big Ben or the Eiffel Tower, can do the job of a map or flag. One might
also make a splash with more fanciful icons, such as regional food or drink,
or even popular brands associated with a given locale. In any case, be sure
to steer clear of what anyone might see as a negative stereotype.
Copyright ©2004 Pharmaceutical & Medical Packaging News
