Internationalization != Translation

i18n is often an after-thought: something tacked on a site after the fact, with the hope that doing so will somehow extend the value of brands and e-commerce efforts. The mediocre results that ensue support the belief that such investments are of limited value. Underlying this belief is the idea that people from other cultures are just like us but speak different languages. They are not. In this talk, filled with side-splitting examples of failed translation and internationalization efforts, Louis-Eric Simard will introduce the audience to the richness (and returns) of proper internationalization using Drupal, including cultural-sensitive layout, content, branding, and colour choices. Do not be like Kentucky Fried Chicken who puzzled China for 3 straight months with a failed translation of an ad featuring an American cowboy tastefully enjoying tender chicken by advertising "It takes a manly man to make a chicken wet" (true story).

Louis-Eric's undergrad degree is in intercultural marketing (that's before a fun foray into using evolving A.I. short-term classifiers for automatic asset trading and portfolio management; he apologizes for the minor worldwide economic collapse that may have ensued)