Dictionary of Latin Gestures Your Brand Should Understand (Before Accidentally Offending)
You don’t need a PhD in anthropology to screw up in Latin America—just post the wrong emoji. Or launch a video ad where a character waves their hand a bit too freely. Boom: brand cancelled, comments on fire, and a crisis call with your agency on a Sunday.
Welcome to the world of gestures. A subtle, powerful, and often-overlooked layer of communication that can either boost your cultural relevance or make your brand go viral for all the wrong reasons. And no, not the good kind of viral.
Let’s be clear: Latin America is not one country. It’s twenty. And each has its own codes.
But there are patterns—gesture behaviors, meanings, and taboos that your marketing team should master. If your brand wants to survive in the Latin market (and maybe even be loved), here’s the unsugarcoated guide to the semiotics of the hands, eyes, and facial micro-movements that can kill—or convert—your campaigns.
The Raised Eyebrow: Yes, we’re judging you 🤨
In countries like Peru, Chile, or Venezuela, a raised eyebrow can mean “I’m listening”, “You serious?”, or “Try again”. Use this in a character's animation or in a gif and you might land your brand in a sarcastic tone you didn’t mean. Especially in customer service interactions, emojis that emulate this (think 🤨) can read as passive-aggressive.
“Not all expressions translate—some accuse.”
The “Finger Purse”: Italian? Yes. But also Caribbean. 🤌
The pinched-fingers-together gesture 🤌 (tips all touching and facing upward), often associated with Italians saying “What do you want from me?”, is common in Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico—but it doesn’t mean the same thing. In DR, it can mean “Let me explain” or “Hold up.” It’s assertive. Use it wrong, and it becomes condescending. Use it right, and it can express passion or urgency.
The Chin Flick: Silence, or worse 🤷♂️
In Brazil or Argentina, flicking the back of your fingers from under the chin (sometimes confused with a shrug 🤷♂️) is not a charming “meh.” It means “I don’t care”, and sometimes “F** you.”* Including a character doing this—even subtly—in a meme or video can completely change your message.
“Gestures are louder than captions.”
The Hand Clap: Applause? Maybe. A Threat? Definitely. 👏
If you’re in Colombia or El Salvador and someone claps their hands at you once, hard and loud 👏, it’s not praise. It’s a challenge. A way to say “You better listen” or “You’re testing me.” Brands that show people clapping in scenes of celebration should keep it warm, soft, and multiple claps—not a single, sudden hit. Otherwise, the street tone leaks in.
The Thumb Between Fingers: That’s not cute. That’s old-school vulgar. 🤏👎
In places like Mexico or Peru, putting your thumb between your index and middle fingers (not a standard emoji yet, but imagine 🤏 with the thumb inside) has historically meant “I’m insulting you” or “Here’s your disrespect.” Some brands use this as a quirky logo element or sticker. Don’t. It's not ironic. It's just dated and offensive.
The “Come Here” Finger Wiggle: In the U.S.? Innocent. In Latin America? Borderline creepy. ☝️👉
Using the upward, single finger curl ☝️ or beckoning motion 👉 to signal someone over is extremely common in the U.S. But in many Latin countries—especially conservative areas like Guatemala or Paraguay—it feels intimate, even inappropriate. Think twice before your mascot does it. You’re not summoning a toddler—you’re triggering discomfort.
The “Peace” Sign: Not always so peaceful ✌️
In Chile, Colombia or Uruguay, turning the palm inward while flashing the “peace” sign ✌️ can be read as mocking or offensive. It’s about angle, intention and local context. If your brand relies on visual metaphors like this in reels or story ads, angle it right or don’t use it at all.
“A rotated hand can rotate your brand perception.”
Hands Together Like Praying: Not always gratitude 🙏
Many brands (especially beauty or wellness) use the praying hands gesture 🙏 to express thankfulness. But in some regions of Mexico and Bolivia, this is tied to death rituals or mourning. It’s not offensive per se, but it may communicate something you didn’t mean. That “thank you for your support” post might accidentally read like a memorial.
So, why should your brand care?
Because Latin audiences don’t just see your content—they feel it. They grew up with mothers reading body language better than FBI profilers. They know what every eyebrow, hand twist, and head tilt means. So when a brand gets it wrong, it’s not forgiven as an innocent cultural slip. It’s judged as lazy.
And the worst part? You won’t always hear the backlash. It won’t be an email. It’ll be disengagement, mistrust, or mockery in private WhatsApp groups.
What can you do?
Work with local experts who get the nuances.
At Positive Agency, we’ve seen it all—brands trying to “connect” using globally approved emoji packs, generic memes, or hand signs that go viral only because they were awkward. Our creative campaigns go through culture filters, local translators, and emotional sniff tests before hitting “publish.”
We don’t guess. We know—because we grew up in it.
If you want content that doesn’t just survive in LATAM but thrives, talk to an agency that speaks the language—body and all.