1) When Pepsi advertised in Taiwan with the slogan "Come Alive With Pepsi", it was unintentionally translated as "Pepsi brings your ancestors back from the dead." 2) Umbro sportswear had to withdraw its sneaker called the "Zyklon" because in some cultures that was the name of the gas used by Nazis to murder millions in concentration camps. 3) Panasonic created an interactive internet guide for its new PC in the form of Woody Woodpecker but had to cancel its marketing campaign after realizing the slogan "Touch Woody - The Internet Pecker" could be misinterpreted in some cultures.

1. “Understand the differences; act on the
commonalities.”
-Andrew Masondo, African National Congress
CROSS CULTURAL
COMMUNICATION

2. ▸ Cultures
▸ Communication
▸ Cultural Differences
▸ Barriers
▸ Tips for effective Cross
Cultural Communication
And cross cultural
bloopers For Fun 

5. Communication

6. When Pepsico advertised Pepsi
in Taiwan with the ad "Come
Alive With Pepsi" they had no
idea that it would be translated
into Chinese as "Pepsi brings
your ancestors back from the
dead."
Blooper 1

7. Cross Culture
Communication is all
about Understanding the
differences &
commonalities between
different cultures and
discriminate accordingly.
Cross Cultural Communication

8. ▸ Globalization
▸ Business Opportunities
▸ Job Opportunities
▸ Sharing of views &
ideas
▸ Talent improvisation
▸ An understanding of
diverse market
Importance??

9. ▸ Body Language
▸ Etiquette
▸ Establishing Trust
▸ Religious Beliefs
▸ Social Habits
Barriers

10. Tips for effective Cross Culture
Communication

11.  Even when English is the common
language in a cross cultural situation,
this does not mean you should speak at
normal speed.
 Slow down, speak clearly and ensure
your pronunciation is intelligible.
1. Slow Down

12. 2. Separate Questions
 Try not to ask double questions such as, “Do
you want to carry on or shall we stop here?”
 In a cross cultural situation only the first or
second question may have been
comprehended.
 Let your listener answer one question at a
time.

13. • Many cross cultural communication
misunderstandings have been caused by the use
of negative questions and answers.
• In English we answer ‘yes’ if the answer is
affirmative and ‘no’ if it is negative.
• In other cultures a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ may only be
indicating whether the questioner is right or wrong.
• For example, the response to “Are you not
coming?” may be ‘yes’, meaning ‘Yes, I am not
coming.’
3. Avoid Negative Questions

14.  Cross cultural communication is enhanced
through taking turns to talk, making a point
and then listening to the response.
4. Take Turns

15.  If you are unsure whether something has
been understood write it down and
check.
 This can be useful when using large
figures.
 For example, a billion in the USA is
1,000,000,000,000 while in the UK it is
1,000,000,000.
5. Write it down

16. Effective cross cultural communication
is in essence about being comfortable.
Giving encouragement to those with
weak English gives them confidence,
support and a trust in you.
6. Be Supportive

17. 7. Check Meanings
When communicating across cultures never
assume the other party has understood.
Be an active listener.
Summarize what has been said in order to
verify it.
This is a very effective way of ensuring
accurate cross cultural communication has
taken place.

18. Blooper 2
In 2002, Umbro the UK sports manufacturer had
to withdraw its new trainers (sneakers) called the
Zyklon. The firm received complaints from many
organisations and individuals as it was the name of
the gas used by the Nazi regime to murder millions
of Jews in concentration camps.

19. 8. Avoid Slangs
Even the most well educated foreigner will not
have a complete knowledge of slang, idioms
and sayings.
The danger is that the words will be
understood but the meaning missed.

20. ▸ The Japanese company Matsushita Electric was promoting a
new Japanese PC for internet users. Panasonic created the new
web browser and had received license to use the cartoon
character Woody Woodpecker as an interactive internet guide.
The day before the huge marketing campaign, Panasonic
realised its error and pulled the plug. Why? The ads for the
new product featured the following slogan:
"Touch Woody - The Internet Pecker." The company only
realised its cross cultural blunder when an embarrassed
American explain what "touch Woody's pecker" could be
interpreted as!
Blooper 3

21. In many cultures business is taken very seriously.
Professionalism and protocol are constantly
observed.
Many cultures will not appreciate the use of humor
and jokes in the business context.
When using humor think whether it will be
understood in the other culture.
For example, British sarcasm usually has a negative
effect abroad.
9. Watch the humor

22. Many cultures have certain etiquette when
communicating.
It is always a good idea to undertake some cross
cultural awareness training or at least do some
research on the target culture.
10. Maintain Etiquette

23. Honda introduced their new car "Fitta" into Nordic
countries in 2001. If they had taken the time to
undertake some cross cultural marketing research
they may have discovered that "fitta" was an old
word used in vulgar language to refer to a woman's
genitals in Swedish, Norwegian and Danish. In the
end they renamed it "Honda Jazz".
Blooper 4

24. • Cross cultural communication is about dealing
with people from other cultures in a way that
minimizes misunderstandings and maximizes
your potential to create strong cross cultural
relationships.
• The above tips should be seen as a starting point
to greater cross cultural awareness
Conclusion