Cultural proximity refers to the degree of similarity in cultural traits, practices, values, language, and norms between groups, countries, or regions. People tend to trust and collaborate more easily with others who share similar backgrounds. This shapes our decision-making and sense of trust when we interact with others; however, it also potentially introduces bias and limits diversity. In this column, I’ll explore the benefits and challenges of leveraging cultural proximity, how different cultures respond to cultural proximity at various levels, and how cultural proximity affects the user experience of digital services.
The Benefits and Limitations of Cultural Proximity
People are naturally drawn to things that feel culturally close to them, whether because of shared values, languages, or social norms. This is why many global chains, when operating in different countries, adapt their offerings to align with the local culture and build high cultural proximity with local markets.
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For example, as Figure 1 shows, McDonald’s offers different local menus in culturally distinct markets. For example, the Teriyaki Burger in Japan fuses local food preferences with the brand’s global offerings. Providing such localized menu items makes people feel more comfortable, builds trust, and increases their willingness to engage with the brand. This is an advantage of leveraging cultural proximity.
Figure 1—McDonald’s localized menu in Japan
While cultural proximity can enhance trust and acceptance, it also has a downside. Overreliance on familiar cultural cues can reinforce stereotypes and exclude minority groups within the same society. For instance, in advertising, brands sometimes lean too heavily on cultural symbols that resonate with the majority, but might alienate others. In 2018, Dove faced backlash for an online soap ad that unintentionally reinforced racial stereotypes by presenting a Black woman transforming into a White woman after using their product, as Figure 2 shows. The campaign may have been designed with certain cultural assumptions in mind, but it failed to recognize how different cultural groups would interpret the ad. This demonstrates how misaligned cultural proximity can damage trust, create controversy, and ultimately, harm a brand’s reputation.
Figure 2—BBC report on Dove’s controversial online ad
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Understanding How the East and West Value Cultural Proximity
Even though cultural proximity plays a significant role in human interactions, different cultures respond to it at varying levels. In the East, where collective cultures are more common, people resonate strongly with cultural proximity that reflects shared traditions, family values, or collective rituals. For example, in Japan, Starbucks offers localized seasonal flavors such as the Sakura lattes shown in Figure 3, which are inspired by cherry blossoms. This aligns with deep cultural traditions around the viewing of cherry blossoms, and the high cultural proximity strengthens emotional attachment.
Figure 3—Sakura lattes from Starbucks Japan
In comparison to the East, Western societies where individualistic cultures dominate tend to emphasize individual choice, clarity, and autonomy. So while they value cultural proximity, this factor is often secondary to others. Cultural proximity works best when it aligns with personal tastes or adapts to individual preferences. Let’s take sushi as an example. When sushi was first introduced in the US and Europe, it had very low cultural proximity. Raw fish and seaweed were unfamiliar and even off-putting. However, as cooks adapted sushi to suit Western tastes by introducing rolls such as the California roll with avocado and crab and, as people recognized its novelty and health benefits, it gradually grew into a mainstream food, eventually overcoming the initial cultural distance.
Thus, in many Eastern collectivist cultures, cultural closeness and social acceptance can be more decisive in deciding whether people trust or adopt something new. In the West, while cultural proximity still matters, rational factors such as price, quality, innovation, and convenience often outweigh it.
High and Low Cultural Proximity in Digital Services
In today’s globalized world, people use apps and online services from across the globe. Cultural proximity plays a key role in whether people engage with a digital service and feel trust in it. Some brands pay close attention to cultural nuances and offer localized experiences, while others stick to a one-size-fits-all approach that can leave users feeling disconnected or even alienated.
High Cultural Proximity: Uber in India
Uber, as a multinational transportation brand, has tailored its operations in India to resonate with local customers. For example, it integrates with Paytm, a widely used, local payment method, instead of credit cards. It also offers Uber Auto, shown in Figure 4, offering rides in auto-rickshaws, a common mode of transport in India, and thus, reflecting local transportation habits. By making its service relevant to locals, Uber has become a leader in auto-rickshaw rides: 30% of the auto-rickshaw market is online, and six out of ten Uber rides are auto-rickshaws. This demonstrates that the majority of Uber’s rides in India have been localized to adapt to local commuter preference.
Figure 4—Uber Auto in India
Uber also tells real-life stories that resonate with locals. For example, one campaign featured India's first female bouncer, Mehrunissa Shaukat Ali, showing her using Uber to travel safely to work at night, as shown in Figure 5. The campaign aims to address the mobility gap that women in India experience due to safety concerns and social norms. High cultural proximity has been a key factor in Uber’s success in the Indian market.
Figure 5—Uber’s local campaign in India
Low Cultural Proximity: eBay in China
A classic example of low cultural proximity that has led to failure is eBay in China. When eBay entered the Chinese market and acquired EachNet, a local ecommerce platform, it expected China to become its second most important market after the US. eBay applied its global platform model, focusing on consumer-to-consumer sales of used products through auctions, as shown in Figure 6. However, this model was not common in China, where consumers were used to buying directly from shops at fixed prices. On eBay’s local platform EachNet, around 40% of listings were auctions, whereas on Taobao, its main competitor, only about 10% of listings were auctions, with the majority being fixed-price sales.
Figure 6—eBay’s auction feature
Even in basics such as payments, eBay supported only PayPal, credit cards, and a limited number of local bank’s debit cards, which discouraged many Chinese consumers from using the platform. In contrast, local competitors such as Taobao or JD.com better understood cultural habits, offering relevant features such as instant messaging between buyers and sellers to build trust and convenience. Because eBay failed to adapt its US-based model to local preferences, its low cultural proximity caused it to lose market share to Taobao.
Knowing the success of high cultural proximity and the challenges of low cultural proximity in business raises this question: Is low cultural proximity always negative? In collectivist markets such as India and China, where cultural familiarity and closeness are highly valued, people often perceive low cultural proximity negatively. However, in other cultures, many see low cultural proximity as differentiation that brings novelty into users’ lives. For example, when TikTok expanded from China to Western markets, many users initially found its format chaotic in comparison to Facebook or Instagram. However, its novelty and addictive algorithm turned it into a global phenomenon, reshaping social-media culture.
Designing with Cultural Proximity in Mind
Cultural proximity is a double-edged sword. It can build trust and stronger engagement, but misapplying it can alienate users or reinforce stereotypes. As we’ve seen in this column, Eastern collectivist cultures often place greater weight on cultural closeness, while Western individualist cultures might treat it as a secondary consideration. For digital services, these differences can explain why brands such as Uber thrive when they localize, while others like eBay struggle when they fail to adapt. For those of us designing user experiences, the challenge lies in finding the right balance between global consistency and local relevance. High cultural proximity can be powerful, but it’s equally important to understand when it helps, when it limits, and how different cultures respond to it.
Jo is a product designer who has experience in various markets. She has worked in countries such as Taiwan, China, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. Jo has a keen interest in exploring how different cultures intersect and influence the software user interface (UI), user experience, and product strategy. Over the years, Jo has gained valuable insights from these diverse cultures and their transitions. As a result, she aims to share these insights with a broader audience that is interested in the cultural aspects of digital product design. Read More
