Culture Shock: When Global ABM Speaks the Wrong Language

Till date, it is the worst aviation collision in history. You can listen to Tim Hartford describe the catastrophe on his podcast Cautionary Tales, what led to it, and the role of what’s called the Moses Illusion.

The Moses Illusion illustrates how we process language and meaning. The classic example goes: “How many animals of each kind did Moses take on the Ark?” The answer people often give: “Two.”

Only it wasn’t Moses who had an ark—it was Noah.

We often accept inaccurate details if the general context feels right—because our brains prefer fluency and coherence over fact-checking.

The Tenerife Airport disaster is an extreme case of what happens when communication breaks down because what people say and what others take away do not align. It’s a sombre reminder of why we shouldn’t speak to our audiences like they are a single global hegemon.

It’s a problem B2B technology marketers know well but one that often gets ignored in the pell-mell of executing a global ABM.

It’s Quite Good

In an interview, actor Emma Watson said when a British person says, “It’s quite good,” they usually mean “It’s OK, not bad” but not truly great. In British English, “quite” can actually soften the praise, so “It’s quite good” often lands as less enthusiastic than simply saying “It’s good.”

But in American English, “quite” tends to intensify instead, so “It’s quite good” sounds closer to “It’s really good!” or even “It’s awesome!”. The risk? The same everyday phrase can quietly shift meaning as it crosses borders, which is exactly the hidden gap B2B marketers face when localizing ABM messaging.

And while most teams aren’t wired to use all of that data in real time, that doesn’t mean you can’t work with what you’ve got. Even faster-than-average beats same-old-slow. Acting on signals while the event is still happening (or right after) can:

A line meant to sound credible and modest can feel underwhelming or insincere if you don’t stretch the tone to match what your audience really hears. Make sense?

In 2009, Intel launched its new global brand tagline: “Sponsors of Tomorrow.”
The idea was to position Intel not just as a chipmaker, but as an innovator shaping the future of technology. It was a perfect B2B narrative for enterprise buyers, partners, and developers. Not ‘quite good’ in Brazil.

Brazilian audiences read it as: Intel is about the future, not delivering value now. The tagline was interpreted as ‘Intel: In Love with the Future’.

There’s a little lesson here: Put your high-value messaging through local sense-checks before it goes live. Get your regional teams or in-market SMEs to test tone, not just translate the words.

Better yet, run small A/B tests to see how real prospects respond. Do your accounts want immediate proof or future vision? Do they trust modest, understated promises or do they expect bold, confident claims? These nuances shape how your brand feels in that moment.

Cross Culture or Cross Culture? Resonating Vs Offending

Erin Meyer’s The Culture Map and Geert Hofstede’s cultural dimensions theory show just how differently tone, urgency, and humor land around the world. But how does that affect ABM messaging and personalization? Let’s look at some examples.

In high-context cultures like Japan or Thailand, indirect wording signals respect, but too much directness or humor can feel abrupt or even rude.

Translation
Instead of: Discover our comprehensive, industry-leading platform.
Try: Straight answers. Clear value. No corporate waffle.

In the UAE, business language tends to stay formal and respectful, humor in a B2B pitch can backfire or seem unprofessional.

Translation
Instead of: Why not give it a try?
Try: Would you like to discuss how this solution supports your organization’s growth?

In Germany, buyers value bluntness and direct proof, they trust messaging that states facts without fluff.

Translation
Instead of: We’d love to help you unlock your potential.
Try: Cut costs by 15% in six months. Here’s how.

Assume Nothing

HSBC famously learned this the hard way when its global tagline, Assume Nothing, was launched in multiple countries. The phrase didn’t translate well across Asia and several European non-English-speaking markets. In some places, it was read as Do Nothing, confusing customers and weakening trust. Fixing this cost HSBC an estimated $10 million and forced a rebrand to “The World’s Local Bank.”

HSBC didn’t follow its own tagline. But it’s also true that some of the biggest mistakes in the world—from KLM’s cockpit to Intel’s slogan to a CTA in an email—happened because someone assumed the message was clear enough. With a global ABM campaign, assume nothing because culture will rewrite what we say, think, and believe. In global ABM campaigns, real resonance is not a factor of what you say, but how much you know about who’s listening.