Whether you consider the U.S. a melting pot, a salad bowl or a mosaic, English is not the only language spoken, read and written in this country. So why don’t all American products include labels with Spanish and English, our two most commonly spoken languages? It’s a simple solution, for certain, but one that carries with it a host of challenges. The following are six areas worthy of review and discussion about this topic:
Challenge 1 – The Aesthetics Rule
It is estimated that 80% of experiences are filtered through our eyes and with a majority of branding decisions made at the point-of-sale, a clear, simple and concise communication on packaging is more critical than ever. One criticism of bilingual packaging suggests that placing more than one language on a product poses too much of an aesthetic challenge due to the limited surface area. Ironically, the clutter of communication that the bi-lingual packaging causes, may actually create greater confusion for the consumer that the label was designed to serve. Marketers should use bilingual labeling judiciously. Regardless, keep the communication of the package as simple as possible and know what’s important to communicate. In most instances…less is more!
Challenge 2 – Consumer Alienation
There is a fervor in some U.S. markets as to whether bi-lingual communications are even necessary at all. Given that some states such as Nebraska or Virginia have a Hispanic population that is hovering around 7% of each state’s total population (the 2007 Census estimates the U.S. Hispanic population at 15.1%), there’s a growing contingency that English-only packaging (and signage and customer service recordings, etc.) should be mandated. Anti-bilingual blogs, web sites, state propositions and even legislation are raising awareness of this topic from this vocal constituency. In some areas of the country, if marketers are communicating via bi-lingual packaging, they may be alienating their core audience with their very use of bi-lingual packaging. In fact, some of the pushback on bilingual comes from the Hispanic community itself – who believe that reinforcing a reliance on Spanish creates an unnecessary obstacle to assimilation.
Challenge 3 – Governmental Mandates
Unlike the U.S., Canada legally requires bilingual labels – English and French – as both are official languages of the country, so product labels must be displayed in both languages. On the other hand, America technically doesn’t have an official language, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration does not require bilingual labels. The FDA Food Labeling Guide very briefly explains how to structure the Nutrition Facts label for two languages, but it does not indicate if or when a bilingual label is necessary. Marketers need to know the bi-lingual/multi-lingual packaging restrictions and requirements for each country they intend to distribute. These guidelines can change regularly so they should stay current with the most recent documentation and regulations.
Challenge 4 – Protect Thyself
U.S. laws indirectly encourage manufacturers to protect themselves from legal liability by using bilingual labels. In Stanley Industries, Inc. v. W.M. Barr & Co., Inc., the plaintiff sued the manufacturer of linseed oil and the retailer, The Home Depot, because the warning label was inadequate for someone whose primary language was Spanish. Before the case was even settled, though, The Home Depot took preventative measures and asked its suppliers to include Spanish on all warning labels and instructions for products sold to them. Manufacturers can implement bilingual labels to anticipate this kind of legal issue. However, a marketer who chooses to include two languages may be liable for not including warning labels in other foreign languages. It’s a slippery slope.
Challenge 5 – Know Your Audience
Instead of focusing on legal requirements or legal liability, manufacturers that produce American products should rely on market forces to determine whether or not to include bilingual labels. For example, Apple & Eve, a juice company, uses English and Spanish on some of its juices. The company noticed that specific flavor profiles were popular among the Hispanic community and decided to include Spanish on the packaging. Because manufacturers want to address the needs of the target audience of a product, it is more common to see bilingual packaging in states that have a significant Hispanic population such as California, Texas and Florida. As the Hispanic population continues to grow in this country, more marketers may expand their reach into these communities.
Challenge 6 – The Packaging Budget
Dollars and ‘sense’ come into play as part of this discussion as bi-lingual and multi-lingual packaging takes big budgets to design, translate, produce, distribute and manage. It would be easy to have one package for all markets but that’s not the case for most marketers these days. One market could have tri-lingual packaging, another bi-lingual and another could necessitate special considerations for a specific retailer. With different skus having different audiences, one can easily see how a packaging budget can grow thin very quickly. Marketers need to take into account the markets, restrictions and plusses and a minuses relative to bi- and multi-lingual packaging when developing their go-to-market packaging strategy.
Clearly, the topic of bi-lingual packaging is not as simple as it seems. Each marketer must be in-tune with the regulations and restrictions associated with bi-lingual packaging of the country where its’ products or services are being distributed. Further, the marketer must also understand the requirements of each of the retailers/distributors/dealers where its’ products are being sold. Just as important, the marketer must be cognitive of the subtle nuances of its target consumer and how best to position, brand, package and communicate its offerings to its target consumers that is going to resonate – and not alienate – its customer base.
0 Responses to “Six Challenges of Bilingual Packaging”