Vol.36 – How to Tailor Global Content to Meet Local Needs (Part 2)

The previous article Vol.35: How to Tailor Global Content to Meet Local Needs (Part 1) was about developing content meeting needs of local audience while delivering consistent global message by adding and/or replacing with local details.

This article is the continuation of the previous article, which is about developing content meeting needs of local audience while delivering consistent global message by tailoring the global content totally to meet local needs.

1. What is the primary methodology of tailoring the global content totally to meet local needs?

It is by changing the viewpoint, from global to local, often changing the subject and developing content from the eyes of local representatives. This methodology is used in many news and contents on international topics (e.g. summit, environmental issues) and global events such as Olympics and World Cup games.

For example, news about summit is global but very often it is reported in each countries differently, focusing on their leaders and topics of their own country because local audience (i.e. audience in their own country) would be interested in such contents. Olympics and World Cup games are also usually reported in the similar manner for the same reason. In reality, what are reported/broadcasted in detail/full are very often only the games in which the athletes of the country play.

2. How is the methodology of changing the viewpoint/subject applied in developing local content based global content?

The author would like to explain with a typical example. She would like to take a case in of a global event in which people from Global HQ and local executives participate.

1) Overview of the global event

Global event is a ceremony cerebrating achievement of a milestone of a global project, hosted by Singapore. Japan top executive representing the primary client of the project is invited, and executives from global HQ and collaborator of Singapore from Japan join.

2) How the global and local content of the global event can be developed meeting the needs of global and local audience

(1) Global content targeting global audience

Content (article) is usually developed in a neutral, third person viewpoint, informing facts. The text would be in third person to make the total style of usual corporate content.

The information would likely to include overview of the ceremony with brief explanation of each session. If some kind of message is to be included, it is possible that such things as how global collaboration made the project successful are also included to encourage collaboration, and/or add humanity touch to attract interest of the target audience.

(2) Singapore content targeting Singapore audience

Content (article) is usually developed informing facts but from Singapore (host) viewpoint. Although the text would likely be in third person and the style of usual corporate content, subject would be Singapore = host.

The information would likely include overview of the ceremony and explanation of each session, possibly in depth.

Additional, more casual content can also be developed, to attract empathy and interest of the Singapore local audience, such as depicting backyard of the project and the ceremony. Such contents are usually effective ifs developed from the eyes of the project key persons and ceremony organizers, to add humanity aspects.

(3) Japan content targeting Japanese people under the umbrella of Japan project collaborator

Content (article) is usually developed informing facts but likely from the eyes of the Japan project collaborator/team members. The style is better if it is in usual corporate content style but the subject would be in the person who joined the ceremony on the day if the content is from the eyes of that person, which is likely to be more effective rather than in normal third person style.

The information would be overview of the ceremony and explanation of each session. It is probably more effective if how Japan project members collaborated to make this project a success is also included to attract the empathy and interest of the target audience and to add humanity aspects.

(4) Japan content targeting Japanese people under the top executive

Very brief content (article) is usually developed informing facts, focusing on the Japan top executive’s attendance. The text would be in third person, in usual corporate content style.

The subject is the Japan top executive and the information included is likely to focus solely on the highlights of the ceremony such as the session in which the Japan top executive made a speech and other ceremonial events held in which the Japan top executives attended.


Approach of changing the viewpoint/subject is also effective in developing global and local content of a local issue.

The author would like to explain how in the upcoming article.