History, religion, politics, education, ethnicity, nationalism, hierarchy, age, reputation, customs, beliefs and language can all contribute to the success or failure of a PR program in Asia. But all of these factors can be boiled down to one basic challenge: communicating a message to your audience that is not only received, but also understood. Sounds simple, right? Actually, it can be quite a daunting task.

For example, if the purpose of the communication is to sell a company's product or service, you may need to be especially sensitive to the cultural distinctions and preferences of the Asia Pacific country in which you want to make the sale. Many companies make the mistake of assuming that what appeals in their culture will appeal elsewhere. On the contrary, cultural differences deeply affect the way people perceive things. This applies not only to a particular product or service itself, but also to how the product or service is advertised, presented and promoted.

Take languages, for example. While English may be a prevalent business language, does it make sense to pitch a story in English to a Korean reporter who writes for a Korean-language publication? Why risk your messages getting lost in the translation? More importantly, what sort of a message does it send to the Korean press about your company's interest and commitment to Korea if you don't take the time to communicate in the host country's language? You would be amazed at the difference in press coverage (and accuracy of messages) if the press release is translated and interaction with the media is done in the local language.

Another more sensitive language example involves gift-giving. While a common (and expected) practice in many Asian countries, the art of selecting the right gift is no easy task. In the United States., for example, many companies will design desk clocks with their logo or product design and give them away at a dinner, sales or press conference. If a company did the same thing in Hong Kong, they would likely lose business, or, at a minimum, lose face. For in Cantonese, giving somebody a clock roughly translates to saying that you will be attending their father's funeral.

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