Gestures, dress, colours and numbers
Body language does not travel intact. The OK sign is offensive in Brazil, a V sign made with the palm facing inwards is an insult in the UK, Ireland and Australia, and a thumbs-up is an insult in Iran. Dress norms vary: in Gulf markets, casting usually follows more modest wardrobe, and physical contact between people is handled with more care. Colours and numbers carry meaning too. White is associated with mourning in parts of East Asia, and four is avoided in China, Japan and Korea because it sounds like the word for death. Brief these rules per market, not as an afterthought.
Seasons and holidays
The calendar changes the picture. Christmas in Australia and New Zealand falls in summer, so the scene is a beach or a barbecue, not snow. Thanksgiving is the fourth Thursday of November in the US and the second Monday of October in Canada. Ramadan imagery should respect fasting during daylight, showing iftar at sunset rather than daytime meals, and Diwali, Lunar New Year and Singles' Day on 11 November each have their own visual language. School years and holiday seasons shift too: a back-to-school image in August suits Europe and North America, but in Australia the school year starts in late January or early February.
Cars, roads and the side of the street
Right-hand-drive markets, where traffic keeps left, include the UK, Ireland, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, India and South Africa. A car shot for these markets needs the steering wheel on the right, traffic on the left and local road markings: white centre lines in the UK, yellow ones separating opposing traffic in North America. Number plates differ in shape and colour, with UK cars carrying white plates at the front and yellow at the rear. Never generate a realistic registration, which could belong to an actual driver; use the brand's approved dummy plate. Speed signs show miles per hour in the UK and US, kilometres per hour in most other markets.
Casting, clichés and landmarks
Image models often reach for stereotypes when asked for a nationality: a sepia tint for Mexico, generic costume for India, a blend of East Asian features that belongs to no actual country. Cast for the market as it is, with local reviewers checking faces, wardrobe, homes and streets. Landmarks need the same care: generated versions add spires, merge buildings or move them to the wrong city, and some carry rights. Commercial use of images of the Eiffel Tower's night illumination needs permission, and France's freedom of panorama excludes commercial uses. The studio adapts one approved master per market with product-lock keeping the product exact, so only the local context changes.
Updated 25 September 2026