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Your ATTN Please || Tuesday, 8 April

Your ATTN Please || Tuesday, 8 April

April 08, 2025

Remember when Coors Light told Spain their beer gives you diarrhoea?

Or when American Airlines suggested Mexican customers "Fly naked"? Ok, you may not remember these campaigns because I’m sure the brands did everything in their power to bury them (as they should!). So what’s the secret to making sure your brand never suffers the same embarrassment? Having a localisation strategy that’s on point.

- Charlotte, Editor ♡

WHAT’S HAPPENING IN MARKETING TODAY?

Trump delays TikTok ban (again), PETA ad features dancing poo & Brands cash in on White Lotus collabs

It’s official: Trump has extended the TikTok ban for a second time.

This is like watching the craziest situationship ever unfold. The back and forth, the drama, the “just one more time.” According to the president, the TikTok deal “requires more work to ensure all necessary approvals are signed.” So Trump has signed an executive order “to keep TikTok up and running for an additional 75 days,” marking the second time he’s taken such an action. “We hope to continue working in Good Faith with China, who I understand are not very happy about our Reciprocal Tariffs (Necessary for Fair and Balanced Trade between China and the U.S.A.!),” Trump said in the Truth Social post.

The announcement follows a “reciprocal tariff” policy signed by the president last Wednesday that would see a 34% tariff rate on China. Coupled with the existing 20% tariffs on Chinese imports, the true tariff rate on China is now 54%. “This proves that Tariffs are the most powerful Economic tool, and very important to our National Security!” Trump said in the Truth Social post. “We do not want TikTok to ‘go dark.’ We look forward to working with TikTok and China to close the Deal. Thank you for your attention to this matter!” He really just be doing whatever, huh?

PETA uses dancing poop to encourage veganism (??).

The “bold” new campaign aims to promote the…digestive benefits…of a vegan diet. That’s certainly an interesting angle lmfao. The hero spot is fittingly titled “Good Sh*t." It includes an insane animation of a man quite literally pushing out last night's dinner while it sings about how good being vegan is. Yes, seriously. Santiago Lucero, Global CCO of SAMY Alliance, explained, “We set out to find the most distinctive and effective way to grab people’s attention in a competitive space like social media.” Mission certainly accomplished, guys.

The White Lotus was marketing jet fuel for brands.

While many brands were not particularly happy with their unexpected involvement in the benzo-fueled storyline (looking at you, Duke) others are cashing in. H&M, Abercrombie & Fitch, Banana Republic, Bloomingdale’s and Coffee Mate all inked deals to create their own White Lotus-themed merch. American Express threw a series of events, and Google, Supergoop and Kiehl’s capitalised the living sh*t out of their appearances on screen.

According to WWD, luxury fashion brands Jacquemus, Louis Vuitton and Gucci earned $1.7m, $4.3m and $2m, respectively, in media impact value after their products were featured. Sheesh. I suppose that’s the difference between a television series and the full-blown cultural moment that The White Lotus has become.

-Sophie, Writer

DEEP DIVE

How to localise your marketing (without a massive budget)

Localisation is when a brand tailors its marketing, messaging, and products to fit different regions and cultures.

It’s about making sure your brand feels natural, relevant, and familiar to people in different places. Think of it like adjusting your outfit for different events: what works for a beach party probably won’t necessarily fly at a business meeting.

Localisation is also the key to marketing cut-through. In an era where marketers are expected to do more with less, it’s tempting to take the most efficient route—rolling out creative straight from head office and calling it a day. But a one-size-fits-all approach can end up feeling generic, out of touch, or, worse, completely off the mark.

Localisation isn’t just about translating words; it’s about translating intent, emotion, and context. When brands fail to localise properly, they risk being ignored—or worse, ridiculed.

So, let’s look at some examples of brands that missed the mark when it came to localisation.

Pepsi’s resurrection mishap. In an attempt to launch in China, Pepsi’s slogan “Pepsi Brings You Back to Life” was reportedly mistranslated as “Pepsi Brings Your Ancestors Back from the Dead.” A bold claim—just not the one they intended.
Ford’s Pinto name fail. When Ford introduced the Pinto in Brazil, they overlooked the fact that “Pinto” is local slang for male genitalia. Unsurprisingly, sales were…underwhelming. The company had to rename the car to the Corcel to avoid further embarrassment.
KFC’s Finger-Lickin’ disaster. KFC’s globally recognised slogan “Finger Lickin’ Good” was initially translated in China as “Eat Your Fingers Off.” Not exactly the message they were going for.

While some brands have clearly fumbled, others have nailed the balance between global branding and local adaptation.

Netflix’s localisation strategy goes beyond subtitles. They invest in original local productions that dominate regional markets while also seeing global success. Squid Game (South Korea) and Money Heist (Spain) became worldwide cultural phenomena.
McDonald’s keeps branding consistent while tweaking its menu to reflect local tastes. From McSpaghetti in the Philippines to the McPaneer in India, they ensure their offerings feel relevant to local audiences without diluting their global identity.
Nike blends global brand storytelling with localised content. The brand collaborates with athletes and influencers who resonate in their specific markets. This ensures campaigns feel authentic rather than imposed from afar.

These brands understand that localisation doesn’t mean compromising on brand identity, but enhancing it, by making it more relevant.

You don’t have to completely reinvent the wheel for every market for localisation to work. You also don’t have to be a big brand with deep pockets.

If you’re a smaller brand without a bottomless budget, you can still nail localisation without breaking the bank. Here’s how:

Start with social media. Platforms like TikTok and Instagram thrive on local trends. Engage with regional audiences by using local slang, memes, and cultural references in your content.
Lean on micro-influencers. Micro-influencers have stronger connections with their local audiences and can help you build credibility.
Crowdsource insights. Your customers know their culture better than you do. Engage with them through polls, Q&As, and community-driven content to understand what resonates.
DIY localisation. Tools like Google Trends, Reddit, and even Twitter search can give you insights into what’s culturally relevant in a particular market.
Prioritise high-impact markets. Instead of trying to localise everywhere at once, focus on key regions where you see the most potential growth.

When brands take the time to localise, they go from being just another player to a brand that truly understands its audience. In a world where consumers crave authenticity, localisation isn’t just a nice-to-have—it’s a necessity.

-Sophie, Writer

TREND PLUG

Me pulling _____ out of your life

TikTok’s using the Forest Temple music from Zelda to either give you something or pull something out of your life.

It might be peace. It might be a man. It might be your ability to keep texting him back. The sound is weird and echoey and a little too perfect for it. For this trend, creators are deadpan staring into the camera while pretending to manifest or remove something in your life on your behalf. The captions follow the same format: “me giving you [something good]” or “me pulling [something bad] out of your life.” For example:

Manifesting a job your way
A driver's license for that one friend
My fav one has to be Joe Jonas removing my crash out and manifesting my lock in

How you can jump on this trend:

Use the sound and caption a moment where you’re either gifting the viewer something they didn’t know they needed or dragging something cursed out of their life for good. No talking, no acting. Just let your hand movements do the magic!

A few ideas to get you started:

Me removing the 8am calendar invites
Me pulling imposter syndrome out of your pitch deck
Me removing the urge to delete everything you post

-Abdel, Social Media Coordinator

FOR THE GROUP CHAT

😲WTF: They made a robot HORSE?!
✨Daily inspo: Productize yourself
😊Soooo satisfying: Grill cleaning
🍝What you should make for dinner tonight: Grilled chicken fajita bowls!

TODAY ON THE YAP PODCAST

yourattnp.lease
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Want even more “YAP”ing? Check out the full podcast here.

ASK THE EDITOR

How do I grow my following as a personal trainer? - Marissa

Hey Marissa!

This all depends on what you’re trying to achieve. Are you trying to build a following as big as possible? Are you trying to get more clients? It's important to know what your goals are so you understand whether you're getting closer to them (or not)!

Once you figure out your goals, these are the next steps you should be focusing on:

Be consistent. The more you post, the more the algorithm pushes your content on people’s pages. So post every day if you can.
Be relatable. You could try creating humorous and relatable content around that. Think about the everyday problems people have at gym and use that as inspiration!
Make content around what you care about. If you want to inspire people to get in shape, do that! Do tutorial videos, teach them about their form, etc. Your passion for what you do will draw people in.
Bring your personality into your content. Authentic videos work much better than forced ones.

When you're figuring out what kind of content you should focus on, I suggest you use Instagram's trial feature. This is the perfect place to test different versions of your content to see which one gets the most views.