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Global trade reached an all-time high in 2021 and in May 2022 it was 10% higher than pre-pandemic global trade levels. As companies aim to operate and do more business worldwide, managing communications, marketing and creative workflows across continents quickly becomes complex. By turning to a DAM system, brands are improving their day-to-day operations and strategizing for what’s ahead.
While operating in more than 195 countries, the Brandfolder Digital Asset Management system streamlines the creation, storage and distribution of digital assets, getting creative and marketing teams on the same page — even if they don't speak the same language. This blog will focus on the top five features in Brandfolder that help international brands get business done.
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1. Multi-Language UI
Today’s brands are increasingly global and with more diversified markets comes more complicated digital asset management. For a digital asset management system to succeed internationally, not only does the platform have to be offered in multiple languages, but the content also has to exist in multiple languages as well.
Brandfolder is currently available in 16 languages and counting, making it easy to search and find assets in your preferred language. This feature also makes it possible for admins to edit available languages for individual assets (or in bulk) for any collection.
2. Region-specific Portals
Wouldn’t it be nice to simply transport assets to teams in different regions of the world? And what if those assets appeared to only the users you wanted and in the language they read? It isn’t science fiction — it’s possible using Portals within Brandfolder!
In your Brandfolder Portal settings, simply select ‘default’ and ‘preferred’ languages which will allow your users to choose the language they need. You can also easily set permissions so that only users you select can see the assets you include, regardless of language. Now you’re speaking their language!
3. Global Infrastructure Consistency
Sending information across the globe isn’t exactly the feat it used to be. Still, speed is key and the truth is, it can vary from region to region. The Brandfolder network uses multi-protocol label switching to deliver your content, across the shortest (and most reliable) path possible.
Brandfolder’s non-public infrastructure is built with maximum upload and download speeds in mind in order to be consistent and secure no matter where you (or the people you work with) are located.
4. Optical Character Recognition
Optical Character Recognition (OCR) automatically extracts text from images, allowing your assets to be instantly searchable by any users you want, in the language they choose. It’s one of many digital asset management tools available through Brandfolder’s proprietary, patent-pending technology known as Brand Intelligence. Brand Intelligence uses active machine learning that goes beyond those offered by other digital asset management software brands to bring users powerful features like this one.
In a nutshell, OCR makes image files machine-readable. This is especially valuable to brands to international teams and audiences. Here’s why: Digitizing documents creates image files that contain text hidden within them, like the one below.
Word processing software cannot recognize and read text in images the same way it can with documents. With the help of OCR and digital asset management software, businesses can now transform text from images into metadata that can be analyzed and translated into many other languages. International teams use these OCR features to improve productivity and automate their operations.
And it’s not just for text on illustrated marketing images either. Any file saved as an image can be processed by OCR right within your digital asset manager.
For example, you may be familiar with all the paperwork that goes into day-to-day business operations. Teams rely on information from hard copy invoices to service orders to contracts. Although it is possible to manually analyze, organize and assign searchable tags to each file, it can be very time-consuming and tedious. And when working with international teams, a lot can get lost in translation. That’s where OCR comes back in.
When OCR is used to convert an image into a text file, the asset becomes machine-readable. And assets that are machine-readable hold far more value to international teams than those that are not. For example, if someone from your team scans a receipt or a form, the computer saves the scanned image as an image file. Teams can't use a traditional text editor such as Word to add or remove words from the file. Teams are also limited in what they can search for within the image itself. Plus, important data such as total word count is also unextractable from the file.
But with OCR, teams are able to scan, search and organize the text within scanned documents automatically. That means a French-speaking team member can look for and locate a signed agreement written in English without missing a beat!
5. International Templating Module
A good template can help get your team on the same page and create consistency across an entire organization… that is if everyone using it can understand it. Brandfolder’s templating module allows for the creation of custom content based on editable forms.
These forms, and their fields, are automatically translated to the user’s preference, ensuring the maximization of template usage. Unify your assets and break down the language barriers as you grow your global brand with Brandfolder.
Galvanizing Globalization for Today’s Teams
These types of automation systems really allow your team to focus on what they’re best at and not spend time just organizing content. Now teams can take advantage of powerful features that simplify and streamline complicated tasks such as translation, asset discovery and data transfers.
With help from tools like Brandfolder, marketers and creatives across the globe are leaning on enterprise content management to thrive during one of history’s largest globalization movements known to mankind. The real question is, are you?
Learn more in "The State of Digital Asset Management 2023."