Frankfurt Book Messe 2006 Part II
"We have no problems communicating, he agrees with everything I say." Said the blind man on a bench. Of course he has been talking to the trashcan. My point? Just because someone seems to be agreeing with you doesn't mean they understand anything you are saying.
At the book messe I had meetings with companies trying to sell their products. I used to believe that Americans were the only ones who wanted to make everyone accept their viewpoint as the right one but ethnocentric behavior belongs to every culture even little ones invaded repeatedly by larger European giants. While at the bookmesse, the CEO of a company gave a presentation in my booth for his new product. When I commented that Germans like to narrate their animations, he scoffed and said "Children are not stupid, we shouldn't treat them this way." This man was from a smaller European Country that was not English and he was not going to accept that the Germans like narration.
It isn't a point of stupidity.. Germans like the story teller. If you watch Pink Panther in Germany, they have this storyteller telling you the story. some adult shows also have a story teller... Unfortunately, this CEO was not going to accept or accomodate the Germans. Will his product be successful in Germany? I think if we market it correctly it may be successful but somewhere down the line, this animation will have a narrator. It is what Germans want. Why would you not give them what they ask for and enjoy.
Not only is not understanding the culture a problem but what if everything I see is another foreign language? I had a meeting with an interesting Japanese company and, like my neighbors at the Book Messe, everything was in Japanese. That is great if I can read Japanese but what if I am ignorant and can't read Japanese (which is the case) I sat through the presentation wanting to play with the product but all the functions were in Japanese so I had no idea how to get around nor could I figure out how to start or stop the program. The company is looking for investors and publishers interested in their product. I can see the potential but I want it in English which is my most fluent language. How can I pitch the product or convince a publisher they want it, if I can't even use it.
At the book messe I had meetings with companies trying to sell their products. I used to believe that Americans were the only ones who wanted to make everyone accept their viewpoint as the right one but ethnocentric behavior belongs to every culture even little ones invaded repeatedly by larger European giants. While at the bookmesse, the CEO of a company gave a presentation in my booth for his new product. When I commented that Germans like to narrate their animations, he scoffed and said "Children are not stupid, we shouldn't treat them this way." This man was from a smaller European Country that was not English and he was not going to accept that the Germans like narration.
It isn't a point of stupidity.. Germans like the story teller. If you watch Pink Panther in Germany, they have this storyteller telling you the story. some adult shows also have a story teller... Unfortunately, this CEO was not going to accept or accomodate the Germans. Will his product be successful in Germany? I think if we market it correctly it may be successful but somewhere down the line, this animation will have a narrator. It is what Germans want. Why would you not give them what they ask for and enjoy.
Not only is not understanding the culture a problem but what if everything I see is another foreign language? I had a meeting with an interesting Japanese company and, like my neighbors at the Book Messe, everything was in Japanese. That is great if I can read Japanese but what if I am ignorant and can't read Japanese (which is the case) I sat through the presentation wanting to play with the product but all the functions were in Japanese so I had no idea how to get around nor could I figure out how to start or stop the program. The company is looking for investors and publishers interested in their product. I can see the potential but I want it in English which is my most fluent language. How can I pitch the product or convince a publisher they want it, if I can't even use it.
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