2. What is Transcreation?
• Transcreation: The process of adapting a message from one language
to another, while maintaining its intent, style, tone and context. The
phrase has historically been used by advertising and marketing
professionals looking to transfer the meaning of a message into a new
language without losing intended meaning.
• Definition: Transcreation goes beyond translation. It is adaptive or
creative translation, a hybrid form that blends standard translation
and cultural adaption of imagery and content.
3. • It requires a lot more than straightforward translation, as the translator
must ensure that the message in the source language keeps the same
context, tone and emotion as the target language.
• It is therefore a combination of translation and creative writing, while
ensuring that the marketing message is engaging and relevant to the target
language and audience, while the original concept of the brand is still
maintained. Most international marketing campaigns today require
transcreation.
• The aim of a transcreated message is to successfully evoke the same
emotions and contextual relevance in the new language as the original or
source language. This includes words, graphics, video, audio, and cultural
nuances.
4. When was Transcreation first used?
• Transcreation is an amalgamation of ‘translation’, and ‘creation’.
• Transcreations have been carried out for thousands of years as
sacred, historical and classic writings have been creatively adapted for
others to read and relate to.
• However the term “transcreation” was popularised in the 1960s as
advertising agencies used it to describe the translation of creative
advertising copy.
5. What is the difference between translation
and Transcreation?
• Transcreation is a very creative process and it is quite usual to interpret
and deviate from the original copy in order to get the same emotive
message across-cultures.
• In a Translation true meaning and style must be maintained as close to the
original text as possible with focus on readability and (depending on client
requirements) no deviation from the original meaning occurs.
• Of major significance is that a transcreator is a translator and a copywriter.
6. What is the Transcreation process?
• A good brief is vital. The original copy is usually written for one well-
known local audience.
• To achieve the same emotive message across cultures requires
sensitive and highly creative cross-cultural modification that retains
corporate branding.
• A specialist translation agency, as with your creative agency, will need
to get to know your brand and its products, identify tone of voice and
understand the purpose of the message to be conveyed.
7. 5 Key Considerations for Transcreation
1. Transcreation Provider Must Have Extensive Copywriting Expertise:
Good transcreation involves good writing. If you’ve taken time to have
professionals carefully craft your message in your source language,
don’t you want professional, experienced communicators to craft your
message in your target language? To protect your brand, you want to
choose a transcreation vendor who only uses professionals with
extensive marketing and writing expertise. You want professionals who
can understand your globalcampaign while tailoring your message to
best connect with local customers.
8. 2. Transcription Should Be Performed Only Into Native Language: We
all know that communicating in a second language (no matter how well
you know that second language) never has the same natural flow as
communicating in your native language. It is not enough to be bilingual.
To maximize success, transcreation should be performed by people
who were born into and think in the target language.
9. 3. Transcreation Provider Must Have Knowledge And Understanding
Of The Target Market: Beyond language, culture, content expertise and
writing skills, a good transcreation will speak to the heart of the target
audience. A good transcreation provider will research and understand
the target market and how best to reach them. A language service
provider with knowledge of the target market avoids embarrassing
mistakes that may come from not understanding the target audience
while enhancing your message. A transcreator that knows the target
market will also know the local advertising regulations, media and
commercial codes.
10. 4. Transcreation Provider Should Be In-Country And Share Location
With Your Target Audience: A language service provider is that shares
native language of your target is not sufficient. They must also share,
live and breathe the language, humour, trends and timeliness of what
is relevant to your target audience. An in-country transcreation
provider is embedded with the most current local culture and context
of your target and can best communicate in way that is relevant and
important to them.
11. 5. Transcreation Provider Must Be A Content Expert: How can a
language service provider adapt content that they do not comprehend?
Transcreation providers must also be experts in the information that is
being localized. No matter how well the language service provider
knows the target language, if they do not understand the content, the
transcreation will not be a success.
12. 5 Transcreation Principles to Guide the Process
1. Transcreation takes time.
2. Harmonize images and text.
3. Think like a customer.
4. Select the best option possible.
5. Helping translators succeed.
14. 1. American Motors Launches ‘The Killer’: When American Motors
launched a car named ‘Matador’, they were confident of sales success,
with research suggesting that the word meant virility and excitement to
consumers. However, when they introduced the model to Puerto Rico
they ran into trouble. It turned out that matador was the Spanish word
for ‘killer’ – hardly a good advertisement.
15. 2. Pepsi ‘Brings Your Ancestors Back from the Grave’: When Pepsi
entered the Chinese market it launched with the slogan ‘Pepsi Brings
You Back to Life’. Unfortunately, the company failed to realise that the
phrase had been translated as ‘Pepsi Brings Your Ancestors Back from
the Grave’. Not an ideal blunder in a country where reverence for
ancestors is an important part of the culture.
16. 3. Pepsodent ‘You’ll Wonder Where the Yellow Went’: When
Pepsodent tried to sell toothpaste in South East Asia by promising
white teeth, the brand overlooked a key cultural factor. In this part of
the world, people chew betel nuts to try and blacken their teeth – a
habit which is viewed as a status symbol. Consequently, the brand’s
promise wasn’t what their audience wanted to hear.
17. Inspirational Transcreation Examples
1. Intel- Sponsors of tomorrow . . . Or whenever.
Intel’s slogan, “Sponsors of tomorrow,” is meant to highlight the
company’s role in pushing technology forward. Unfortunately, when
translated directly into Brazilian Portuguese, the slogan had some
definite slacker overtones.
As a solution, Intel decided to use “Apaixonados pelo futuro,” which
translates to “in love with the future.”
19. 4 Common Mistakes in Transcreation:
Mistake #1: Skipping Brand Transcreation:
• More often than they should, global. firms decide not to transcreate
their brand message when they enter a new market. Instead, they will
begin with the idea of strictly translating their message and tag lines
and, with some idea that this process can go horribly (and hilariously)
wrong, they will attempt to localize particular elements of the
campaign by looking beyond the strict translation of a term and doing
more to convey the idea intended by the original.
20. Mistake #2: Not Having a Localized Compliance Checklist:
• Following the local regulatory and legal requirements in a new
market is crucial to avoiding fees and fines down the road. Every
market is different and every market has different rules.
Understanding and following those rules is essential to success.
Sometimes foreign companies who are new to a market don’t
understand all of the ins and outs of local regulations as they apply
generally or to specific categories of product.
21. Mistake #3: Lacking Local Market Knowledge of Important Cultural
Differences:
• Understanding cultural differences is a big part of effectively translating
your product. Beyond simply adapting your message and perhaps even
your company name in a way that makes sense to foreign customers, you
need to make sure you understand how they use and view your product. Is
it a luxury item or an everyday necessity? Is it the kind of thing you buy in
bulk or something you only have occasionally? The answers to these
questions can drastically differ from market to market.
22. Mistake #4: Failing to Invest in Market Research on Best Fit Imaging
and Feedback:
• Investing in research today can mean a big boost in the long run. And
running limited product tests in a new market can be a very efficient
and powerful way to further refine the effectiveness of your
packaging. Even if you think you have a great transcreated version of
your brand and every part of your campaign fits this new idea, you
might be missing a key detail. Take the time to test your product in
the new market and get feedback from the kind of people you
actually want to buy it. Sometimes the best ideas still fall flat in the
marketplace. Try different images, colors and ideas, and learn which
ones are most effective.
