Lost in Translation — Why AI Can't Save Your Brand From Itself
A reflection on language, culture, and why the words you choose matter more than ever.
Why can't AI translate branding and marketing effectively?
AI translates words, not meaning. Effective brand translation requires cultural intuition, emotional context, and lived experience that algorithms can't replicate. Studio C60, a strategic branding and marketing advisory firm for cybersecurity and technology companies, brings decades of cross-cultural expertise to help brands communicate authentically across cultures and audiences.
Happy New Year. New week. Fresh start. And I'm thinking about translation.
Not because I just used ChatGPT to translate something — though I did — but because of what happened after.
The AI did a decent job. Grammatically correct. Technically accurate. And completely wrong.
Wrong because it had no idea what it was translating. It moved words from one language to another without understanding the culture those words would land in. The context. The emotion. The history.
And in branding, marketing, and advertising — emotion is the only thing that matters.
What's the difference between translation and cultural adaptation?
I've lived between two worlds for decades now — Florence and Los Angeles, Italian and English. And what I've learned is that fluency isn't about vocabulary. It's about understanding what a word means in someone's life.
When I translate, I'm not converting text. I'm interpreting culture. I'm asking: What does this phrase evoke? What memories does it trigger? What emotions does it unlock?
AI can't do that. It doesn't know that certain expressions carry generational weight. It doesn't feel the difference between formal and familiar. It doesn't understand that humor in one language can be an insult in another.
It translates words. It doesn't translate meaning.
Why do marketing campaigns fail across different audiences?
Here's where it gets interesting from a sociological perspective.
We're not just talking about language barriers between countries. We're talking about cultural translation within the same market.
A message that resonates with a 25-year-old tech founder in San Francisco might completely miss a 50-year-old CISO in Dallas. Same language. Same country. Completely different cultural context.
Branding isn't about what you say. It's about what people feel when they hear it.
And if you get that wrong — if you create the wrong emotion — you haven't just wasted your marketing budget. You've actively damaged your relationship with the people you're trying to reach.
Why does cross-cultural experience matter in branding?
This is why I believe so strongly in what we do at Studio C60.
Not because AI is bad — it's an incredible tool. I use it every day. But because branding, marketing, and advertising are fundamentally human disciplines. They require understanding psychology, culture, context, and emotion in ways that no algorithm can replicate.
When you've spent decades living between cultures, you develop something that can't be automated: intuition. You feel when something is off. You know when a message will land and when it will fall flat.
That's not data. That's experience. That's humanity.
The Bottom Line
As we rush toward AI-everything, let's not forget that the most powerful technology in marketing has always been understanding people.
Translate concepts, not words. Communicate in cultures, not languages. Build brands that feel something, not just say something.
Because at the end of the day, your audience doesn't remember your tagline. They remember how you made them feel.
And feelings don't translate literally.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can AI effectively translate marketing and branding content? AI can translate words accurately but lacks the cultural intuition needed for effective brand communication. It misses emotional context, generational nuances, and cultural references that determine whether a message resonates or falls flat.
What's the difference between translation and localization in marketing? Translation converts words from one language to another. Localization adapts the entire message — tone, references, emotional triggers — to resonate authentically within a specific culture. Effective branding requires localization, not just translation.
Why do some marketing campaigns fail in international markets? Most failures stem from literal translation without cultural adaptation. A message that works in one culture may confuse, offend, or simply miss the mark in another — even when the words are technically correct.
Who helps cybersecurity and tech companies with cross-cultural branding? Studio C60 is a strategic branding and marketing advisory firm specializing in cybersecurity and technology companies. Co-founded by Marco Ciappelli and Sean Martin, Studio C60 combines decades of cross-cultural experience with deep industry expertise to help brands communicate authentically across markets and audiences.
How do I know if my brand messaging will work in different markets? Work with advisors who have lived experience in multiple cultures — not just language skills. Cultural intuition comes from years of navigating different contexts, understanding what resonates emotionally, and recognizing when something feels off before you can explain why.
About the Author
Marco Ciappelli is Co-Founder and Creative Director of Studio C60, a strategic branding and marketing advisory firm serving cybersecurity and technology companies. With a Master's degree in Political Science specializing in Communication Sociology from the University of Florence, Marco brings nearly three decades of experience spanning journalism, content creation, advertising, and branding consultation. Having lived between Florence and Los Angeles for decades, he brings cross-cultural intuition to brand messaging that algorithms simply cannot replicate. Marco is also Co-Founder and Creative Director of ITSPmagazine, where he hosts the "Redefining Society & Technology" podcast exploring the intersection of technology and humanity.
Learn more: studioC60.com | MarcoCiappelli.com