Transcreation is vital to success in international business. Opening of new markets in different countries is beneficial to business. But at the same time, the language gap becomes wider because people from other cultures prefer to communicate in their own language. While document translation is an essential part of international communication, a special translation process called transcreation is needed for marketing and advertising purposes.
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Transcreation, which also includes translation, is the most efficient and effective method to properly deliver messages to different cultures in different languages. This is done while preserving the emotional intent and creative content of the original advertising or marketing material. The process of transcreation requires the services of professional translators who are also creative copywriters.
Why is Transcreation Important to Global Marketing?
Consumer acceptance and satisfaction are factors that help decide whether or not the product stays in the market. Competition is fiercer in international markets because brands have to compete with locally produced products as well as other international brands.
Therefore, it is vital for foreign products to appeal to local consumers at their level, meaning they have to cater to their cultural preferences, and speak the common language that the target consumers use daily. This means that foreign brands should understand target consumers’ beliefs, behavior and attitudes and ensure that their marketing and advertising messages are tailored to local buyers.
With the changing dynamics of local consumers and local markets, the importance of transcreation increases.
Transcreation goes beyond direct translation. The process involves taking the original marketing or advertising message and delivering it to customers in other languages. Moreover, the translated text should keep the original intent, vocal tones, emotional appeal and style. Fonts, colors and imagery may be changed as well, to ensure that the advertising materials fits its intended audience.
It is a combination of the strictness of translation and the freedom of creative writing, with a touch of nuanced interpretation of the message to suit local audiences. When done correctly, transcreation makes the advertising materials look and feel like a locally conceptualized campaign. In this context, it’s essential for the transcreator to understand local culture and the market in order to tailor the message for efficient messaging and maximum appeal.
Things to Consider When Hiring a Provider of Transcreation Services
Protecting your brand image is one of the responsibilities of product management. Just like how you carefully create your marketing and advertising program, hiring a document translation services provider requires close scrutiny. Here are some of the important factors you have to consider.
1. Long experience in copywriting
Be sure that you hire a translator/copywriter who has had long, extensive experience as a copywriter and as a translator. You have to make sure that the quality of your original advertising copy is maintained across all your target languages. The professional transcreator should have extensive marketing experience as well, aside from the linguistic and writing skills. Marketing knowledge is vital to see to it that the marketing or advertising message is correctly delivered to the intended target.
2. Hire native speakers
The transcreation process should only be carried out by translators who natively speak the language of the target culture. It’s to ensure that local slang and jargon used by the local audience are properly incorporated in the translation for the message to sound more natural.
3. Knowledge of target culture
It’s essential to hire a transcreation provider that has deep knowledge and understanding of the intended audience. This means first-hand knowledge of the local market, their behaviors, buying habits, disposable incomes, preferences and needs. The provider must also understand local media codes and advertising and commercial regulations to ensure proper entry and introduction of the brand to new markets.
4. Subject matter expert
You should find a transcreation provider who has expertise in the brand/product category that should undergo localization. He or she should understand the content for the transcreation to be successful.
5. Provider’s location
In the same manner that the transcreation provider should be a native speaker, you should hire a provider who is a resident of the country where your target consumers live. He or she should live and breathe local language and culture. The provider should personally experience and understand local humor and trends and identify the timeliness of the things that are pertinent to the target audience.
Consider these tips when you are about to embark on a transcreation project. These factors are essential for you to find the right transcreation service provider so you will get things right the first time.
Steps in the Transcreation Process
You now know the factors to consider when hiring a transcreation provider. When embarking on a transcreation project, it is beneficial to understand or at least know the processes involved in transcreation. Knowing them will help you pick the right provider and alleviate your fear that some things can go wrong.
Transcreation can be expensive, so it is vital that you choose the right transcreation provider for your specific needs. Below are tips on how to ensure success of a transcreation project.
1. Understand the content
Not all advertising and marketing material should be transcreated. Some content requires direct translation, so you should know how to decide whether materials need transcreation or just translation.
Transcreation is suitable for advertising headlines, slogans, tag lines, and specific linguistic elements such as humor, idioms and puns. Transcreation is effective for content that must maintain a particular style and voice. The transcreation services provider can help you identify which advertising or marketing materials need transcreation.
2. Find out timeframe and price
Transcreation should not be done in a hurry. Therefore, you have to plan the transcreation project long before you intend to launch your brand into a new market. The timeframe is dependent on the quantity of materials due for transcreation and the number of target languages. Identify the target languages and the materials to be transcreated. Discuss the details with your service provider and agree on the deadlines and pricing of the project. Allow time for the exchange of information as well as meetings for the review of the content and its final delivery. Working closely with your provider and discussing all the details will make the work easier. It’s beneficial if there is open communication between you and your transcreation provider.
3. Create a checklist or transcreation brief
Success of a transcreation project likewise depends on how you collaborate with your provider. When you provide a clear outline of what you need and expect, it makes things easier for the provider. Instead of expecting the provider to understand what you want to convey, it is better for you to describe the tone and the message in detail.
4. The transcreation process
After the initial preparations and discussions, the provider starts the transcreation process. It involves several steps – from analyzing the creative brief or checklist, to identifying the similarities and differences in consumer behavior, culture and language. The insights the writers gain from their analysis will help them to develop the right content that will draw out the intended reactions from your new consumers. The initial new content and the provider’s recommendations are then presented to you and your team for review. The draft with your comments, will be sent back to the transcreator for the production of the final output.
5. Testing of the new content
Give your transcreated material a period of testing. You can do this by consumer survey or giving them a platform to provide consumer feedback. This is important for you to know if there are some issues with the difference in culture and if the appropriate language and the context of the message and other information are properly delivered. The period will allow you to make changes that are necessary to improve your transcreation project and ensure its success.
We recommend you to check our free guide on Transcreation and its importance in Marketing for Brand Expansion.
A Final Note
Aside for the feedback period, here are more ideas on how to ensure a successful transcreation project:
- See to it that you both agree on the deadlines for client handover and review period.
- Determine the contact person both from your side and the side of the provider
- Avoid confusion and miscommunication by involving the right persons at the right time
- Create a project worksheet accessible to you and the transcreation provider to monitor the progress of the project for immediate feedback
Careful planning and execution help ensure successful transcreation. See to it that you only work with a professional transcreation provider who has the experience and expertise in this special translation process.
Make Every Cent You Spend Worth It
We mentioned that transcreation can be expensive, so it is to your best interest to make every cent count. Ensure that you are working with a professional transcreation company with the right experience and subject matter expertise so you get high quality and accurate transcreation from the start. Talk with us anytime. We are open every day of the year, 24/7. Just call us at 1-800-969-6853 or send us an email at [email protected]
