Kiss, Bow, or Shake Hands, Sales and Marketing: The Essential Cultural Guide—From Presentations and Promotions to Communicating and Closing

WOW FACTOR!

All graphics must adhere to the Muslim sense of modesty. Images of people should show as little skin as possible. Foreign magazines are censored in Saudi Arabia; pages showing too much skin are removed or blacked out. Since certain animals are taboo to eat or considered unclean, they should not be the central focus of an advertisement. These animals include pigs and dogs.

Remember that Arabic is read from right to left. This is the opposite of English and most modern European languages, which are read left to right. The front cover of an English book, magazine, or prospectus is the back cover of an Arabic one. Even if your sales material is in English, keep in mind that, out of habit, the first thing a Saudi may look at is the back ...