Featured: How to Avoid International Marketing Disasters

Being quoted as an expert on international marketing mistakes in Business News Daily felt like coming full circle. After years of living through those exact challenges (launching campaigns in Vietnam, China, India, and now Prague), I finally got to share the hard-won lessons about cultural adaptation. The article highlights one of my favorite examples: the "Gangnam Style" viral marketing disaster I experienced firsthand in Vietnam, where a fintech CEO wanted to replicate a K-pop music video to drive sign-ups. It failed spectacularly because the audiences were completely different. But that failure taught me everything I know today about market research, localization, and the critical importance of having local experts validate your campaigns before launch. Every embarrassing international marketing fail I've witnessed or participated in has made me a better consultant.

Business News Daily published a comprehensive guide on avoiding international marketing mistakes, featuring 13 high-profile translation and cultural blunders from major brands. I was interviewed about the most common mistakes businesses make when expanding globally and how to avoid them through proper research and local partnerships.

"There can be a cultural gap from one country to the next where campaigns, slogans and initiatives don't resonate or make sense to the end user. Companies can avoid basic marketing mistakes, like slogans that don't translate appropriately, by putting in the due diligence to research and understand the new market."

What This Means for Your Business Whether you're a Prague-based company expanding to other European markets or a U.S. brand entering Central Europe, the principles remain the same: never assume your domestic marketing will work elsewhere. Spend time in the market, hire local experts, and test everything before you launch. I've seen this play out in food, tech, finance, and hospitality. Cultural nuance matters everywhere.

Read the Full Story Lost in Translation: 13 International Marketing Fails - Business News Daily

Need help launching in a new market? My F&B consulting services include market entry strategy, cultural adaptation, and localization for hospitality and food brands expanding internationally.