Willy Brandt, the former West German Chancellor, once famously said: “If I am selling to 
you, I speak your language. If I am buying, dann müssen sie Deutsch sprechen (then you must speak German).”
The quote underscores a point we continue to emphasize more broadly to businesses and organizations today: the most effective way to communicate with clients, consumers and your own employees is in their own language.
The Russian Federation has a thousand years of history. Its growth and expansion over the centuries has resulted in a country rich in diversity—in culture, customs, language, religion, politics, art and more.
As we highlighted in our last blog, Russia’s vast expanse across two continents—Europe and Asia—makes it uniquely attractive to business seekers and leisure travelers. In fact, its footing at the crossroads of diverse cultures and people gives it a combination of western and Asian influences that naturally make it a prominent player on the world stage.
As part of our ongoing blog series, this week we’re taking a closer look at Russian cultures and customs and what you should know if you plan future travels there.
When you think of Russia, you probably think of big. From a purely visual standpoint any map shows it extends over much of Eurasia – the combined continents of Europe and Asia. In fact, Russia is the largest country in the world by land mass, consuming 10,610,161 
sq. miles and covering more than one-ninth of the Earth’s land area. It is 1.8 times larger than the total size of the United States. Even more out of this world, Russia has more surface area than Pluto’s 10.3 million sq. miles!
But land isn’t the only thing the Russian Federation—its official name—has in large supply. Not surprisingly, a country with so much space is bound to have other associated “big” attributes. Below are some other interesting facts about Russia that underscore its sizable reputation.
Although a small country of roughly 5.7 million people, Denmark is one of the leading
economic markets in Europe. In fact, Forbes routinely taps the Scandinavian country to top its list of best countries to do business. So if you’re looking to expand your international marketing efforts, don’t overlook the Danes as a rich opportunity for new business ventures. Its temperate climate and central location just north of Germany, between the North and Baltic Seas, also makes it a popular destination for tourists and recreation enthusiasts.
As part of our recurring series of blogs highlighting cultures and countries around the world, we’ve collected some key facts and figures highlighting Denmark’s popular appeal.
Mahatma Gandhi wasn’t just talking about his own homeland of India when he said, “A nation’s culture resides in the hearts and in the soul of its people.” He captured the essence of how countries and societies are ultimately perceived around the world..jpg "Photo: Jean-Pierre Dalbéra, Flickr")
As for Gandhi’s own country, Indian culture is among the world’s oldest, dating back more than 4,500 years. Second only to China as the most populous country on earth with more than 1.2 billion people, India boasts diverse customs, languages and religions.
In our latest look at world cultures, we summarize some of the widely diverse traditions and customs that make India such a captivating country and alluring destination for travelers.
As the world gets smaller and cultures continue to blend, sophisticated business leaders and marketers are refining the way they communicate their messages into foreign languages.
Think about how hard it is to get your message heard above the din of competing brand campaigns in your own language. Trying to do the same thing in another language is even trickier. How do you go about marketing and maintaining your brand image in another country? How do you ensure that the essence of your brand will resonate with customers in foreign markets? Companies spend plenty of time and money trying to figure that out.
That’s where transcreation can help.
Desmond Tutu, the renowned social activist and Nobel Peace Prize winner, called South
Africa the “Rainbow Nation” to describe its ethnic diversity. In fact, the republic located at the southern-most tip of Africa is considered one of the most multi-cultural countries in the world. Its history of colonialism and immigration has created a nation whose ethnic makeup includes indigenous black peoples, white Europeans, Indians, Indo-Malays and Chinese, among others. It is a popular destination for anyone pursuing business or leisure interests. If you fall into either of those groups, here’s a brief overview of the country’s customs and culture that will help in planning your visit.
Germany is a popular destination for tourists looking for fun and adventure as well as businesses looking to expand their customer base. As the center of Europe from a 
geographic and economic standpoint, Germany has much to offer. But before you don your lederhosen and head off to Oktoberfest or pack your briefcase for a corporate meeting with potential new business partners, it’s good to know some of the German customs and social protocols you’ll encounter.
In August, the 2016 Summer Olympics will attract thousands of people from around the world to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil’s glamorous tourist hub along South America’s Atlantic coast.
For those of you planning to attend the Games, or who may be interested in visiting or doing business there someday, we decided this is the perfect time to feature Brazil as part of our ongoing review of cultural customs and traditions in other countries.
Like the United States, Brazil has been described as a melting pot, reflecting the diverse mixture of cultures, races and nationalities that influenced its evolution over the past few centuries. The Portuguese were the predominant European group that constructed settlements in the country beginning in 1500. Over time, the European influence melded with the various local indigenous tribes to create the eclectic cultural makeup of modern-day Brazil.
For more than 30 years, we’ve helped many companies with their translation and interpreting projects. Some of that work targeted customers living in the U.S. who speak another language. Other times it focused on sharing marketing messages and product 
information with people in other parts of the world.
One thing we continue to emphasize to our clients is that translating or interpreting words is only part of a successful multilingual communication process. Another important piece—whether conducting business outside of the country or entertaining visitors at your company—is to adapt to the cultural, social and business customs of your foreign speaking customers. This means paying close attention not just to the words you use, but also to the images associated with your message, the method used to convey the message, and even the personal interactions you make with clients or customers on their home soil.