Articles

Culture and Why it Matters to Your Business

In 2003, an Xbox game received an extremely vocal and negative reaction due to religious content deemed offensive. Kakuto Chojin: Back Alley Brutal, developed by Dream Publishing and published by Microsoft Game Studios in 2002, contained verses from the Qur’an being chanted in the background. Since the majority of Muslims believe the Qur’an should be handled with the utmost respect as it is the literal word of God, there was considerable outrage among many groups for the perceived lack of deference afforded to the Qur’an in the Xbox game. As a result, the game was recalled and the companies involved alienated many potential customers and experienced a loss of sales.

Localizing your Business: A User’s Guide

Picture the scene. A family buys a dark brown couch, chair, and loveseat from a furniture store in Toronto. On the day the new furniture is delivered to their Brampton, Ontario home, the couple's curious seven-year-old daughter begins to carefully examine the new arrivals. A few moments later, she innocently asks her mother, "What does 'Nigger-Brown' mean?" Astonished, this mother turns to her daughter who is pointing to the packing labels attached to the furniture. In place of a more appropriate term, the colour description on the label is a racial slur completely unacceptable in Canadian society.
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