We have a successful US influencer campaign that our leadership wants to scale into LATAM, and I’m trying to figure out where the line is between adaptation and just translating.
I know translating captions word-for-word isn’t going to work—the tone and cultural references won’t land. But I’m not sure how deep the adaptation needs to go. Like, do we re-shoot content with LATAM creators? Do we keep the same creative but brief local creators differently? Do we just translate and accept that some messaging will feel foreign?
I’m also realizing that I don’t have a great sense of what actually changes between US audiences and LATAM audiences. Like, what causes a campaign that works in the US to flop in Mexico or Brazil?
One test campaign I ran had good results, but some of the humor and cultural references fell flat. The product benefits landed fine, but the tone felt… American. And I want to avoid that.
Where do you actually make those localization decisions? Is there a framework for identifying what needs to stay the same (brand voice, core message) versus what needs to adapt (tone, cultural references, examples)?
What’s your actual process for taking a US campaign and making it work authentically in LATAM?
This is such a rich question because it really depends on what kind of campaign it is and what the core message is.
Here’s what I’ve learned from managing creator partnerships across markets: the human insight stays the same, the expression changes.
Let me explain. If your US campaign is built on “busy parents need time-saving products,” that human need exists in LATAM too. But the expression of that—the examples, the cultural context, the humor, the way you show that time-saving—that needs to be different.
So my framework is:
- Extract the core human insight from the US campaign (what problem does it solve? how does it improve life?)
- Identify cultural/contextual elements (references, humor, lifestyle examples)
- Work with LATAM creators to translate the insight into their context (How would you naturally explain this benefit to YOUR audience?)
This is where partnerships matter. A good LATAM creator won’t just translate your US campaign—they’ll interpret your core message through their cultural lens and make it authentic.
For example: A US campaign might show someone using your product during a morning work-from-home routine. A LATAM adaptation might show someone using it during a family gathering or social moment—because that’s how those audiences think about time and productivity. Same benefit, different context.
The mistake I see is brands trying to keep the creative execution the same and just translating language. That feels inauthentic because the situation doesn’t match how LATAM audiences live.
Have you identified what the core human problem is that your US campaign is solving? That’s where I’d start.
Okay, so I create content in both English and Spanish, and I can tell you exactly where I change things:
Same:
- Core product benefit
- Quality of implementation
- Why you’d want the product
Different:
- How I talk about the benefit (English is direct, Spanish is more conversational)
- What I show using the product (English audiences get my home office setup, Spanish audiences get the family room or social setting)
- Emotion and tone (English is more aspirational/achievement-focused, Spanish audiences respond more to communal/relational benefits)
- Pacing (Spanish content benefits from slower reveals and relationship-building, English content is faster)
I literally wouldn’t just translate my English script to Spanish. I’d redo the whole thing from scratch, using the same product message but completely different execution.
So if you’re doing a LATAM adaptation, don’t ask creators to “do the US version in Spanish.” Ask them: “Here’s what the US campaign proved works. Now create this for your audience in your way.” You’ll get authentic content that feels native.
Also, hiring a LATAM creative consultant to gut-check messaging is worth it. They’ll spot cultural misses you won’t see.
From a performance analytics perspective, here’s how I’d approach this:
Measure what changes between markets:
- Run your US campaign with its exact messaging and creative in LATAM
- Document engagement metrics, comments, sentiment analysis
- Now run a locally-adapted version with the same core message but different creative/tone
- Compare performance
This A/B approach gives you data on whether localization actually improves results. Sometimes it does (usually 20-30% performance lift), sometimes the difference is modest.
What you’re really measuring is: Does cultural adaptation matter for MY brand and PRODUCT?
For some products (highly contextual lifestyle stuff), localization is critical. For others (functional benefit products), localization might matter less—the human benefit is universal.
Based on your test campaign that had “good results,” can you tell me: What engaged well (the product benefit) vs. what fell flat (the tone)? That tells you specifically what needs to adapt.
Have you actually compared engagement metrics between the US version and your LATAM test?
Strategic framework for localization decisions:
What MUST stay the same:
- Brand promise/core benefit
- Brand values and visual identity
- Legal/compliance messaging
What SHOULD stay the same:
- Positioning (what makes you different from competitors)
- Target customer segment
- Quality standards
What SHOULD change:
- How you explain benefits (contextually relevant examples)
- Tone and emotional appeal
- Format and creative approach
- Influencer type/style
What MUST change:
- Language (obviously)
- Cultural references and idioms
- Lifestyle context and settings
- Local compliance requirements
The process: Start with message architecture. Define:
- Primary benefit (universal)
- Secondary benefits (might be culturally weighted differently)
- Proof points (examples should be locally relevant)
- Emotional appeal
Then ask: “Which of these elements are specific to American context vs. universal human truths?”
For LATAM adaptation, I’d recommend hiring a LATAM creative director or strategist to review the US campaign and identify what works universally and what’s culture-specific. Worth the investment.
How much of your US campaign’s success comes from the core product benefit vs. the lifestyle/cultural framing?
We went through this with our product expansion to Europe, and one thing we learned: sometimes the US campaign failure in a new market isn’t about translation—it’s about different buying behaviors.
US audiences might be drawn to efficiency and individual achievement (“This saves YOU time”). European audiences might care more about quality and social proof (“This is trusted by [demographic]”).
Before you invest in adaptation, understand whether the buying motivation is different in LATAM. Are LATAM audiences buying for the same reason US audiences are?
If yes, you probably just need creative and tone adaptation. If no, you might need different campaign angles entirely.
Did your US campaign perform well because of the emotional angle or the product benefit? That distinction matters for how you adapt.
Here’s my practical workflow:
Phase 1: Deconstruct the US Campaign
- List all core messages, secondary messages, creative elements
- Tag each as “universal” or “US-specific”
- Identify what drove performance (engagement, conversion, etc.)
Phase 2: Research LATAM Context
- Talk to LATAM creators and audience members
- Understand local competition and how they position similar products
- Identify relevant cultural moments, values, lifestyle contexts
Phase 3: Build LATAM Creative Brief
- Keep universal messages, drop US-specific ones
- Propose new approach for tone, context, lifestyle framing
- Hire LATAM creators (not the same ones as US, usually)
Phase 4: Test & Learn
- Run adapted campaign with top 3-5 LATAM creators
- Measure against both absolute metrics and US campaign benchmarks
- Document what worked, what didn’t
Phase 5: Scale
- Apply learnings to broader creator network
The mistake people make is trying to scale before testing. Run 2-3 smaller campaigns with adaptation first, see what works, then commit major budget.
How much testing budget do you have before going full-scale LATAM?