What is the difference?
Transcreation is generally seen as an advertising or marketing term. Like translation, it is the process of mirroring the content in one language into another.
Translation is commonly assumed to mean that the original content is kept intact as much as possible. Transcreation takes cultural issues into account and transcreated content may differ more from the source.
In both situations, every effort is made to maintain the intent, style, tone, and context.
However, a transcreated message takes more liberties, is more focused on getting the message across in the target language, ensuring that it evokes similar emotions as the source text and that it carries the same implications. Transcreation may even involve the use of different images so they are appropriate for the target market.
See it as more of a creative process than a translation, one that takes the target market and culture into account and adapts the content appropriately.
With an increasing number of businesses aiming to transcend boundaries, advertising campaigns and any media that support global marketing will be (or should be) transcreated rather than translated.
*Transcreation helps you to avoid the following pitfalls:
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Cultural differences
Cultural boundaries can be formidable barriers to communication. Mistakes here may damage the brand in ways that can be difficult to repair. In 2011, the German sportswear retailer Puma introduced a limited line of trainers clad in the colours of the United Arab Emirates’ flag, in honour of the UAE’s 40th National Day. Many Emiratis were highly distressed by this product, believing it trivialized their nation’s flag. Furthermore, in Arab culture, the shoe is considered dirty as it touches both the ground and the foot. As a result, Puma promptly withdrew the shoes from the market.
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Word usage
Mistakes as simple as using words that have different meanings in different languages can also lead to trouble. In a famous example, automobile manufacturer Honda introduced its model named “Fitta” into the Scandinavian countries and discovered, belatedly, that the word “fitta” is a vulgarity in many Nordic languages. The company renamed the model “Honda Jazz” and continued to market it there.
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Puns, idioms and slogans
As any translator knows only too well, wordplay and idiomatic speech are exceedingly difficult to bring from one language to another. The same goes for slogans, which, so familiar to a population’s ears, lose their literal meaning over time. In these instances, the transcreator must change the literal text, while attempting to create a similar effect on target audiences.
Write Away, text and design guarantees the personal touch, tailoring our approach to projects on a case by case basis. We would be happy to give you that behind the scenes support you need to take your business to the next level.
Feel free to contact us for more information.
Getting it right
At Write Away, text and design, we get transcreation right by building a good relationship with you, the client. We establish an open communication before we start and check in at set times during the performance of the assignment, submitting samples for feedback from your marketers or the professional responsible for the project. This ensures the end result meets your needs, keeping in mind that
FIRST IMPRESSIONS ALWAYS COUNT
For that reason, you need content in the target language that is word perfect, evokes the desired (emotional) response and effectively crosses cultural boundaries.
So using a so-called CAT (computer aided translation) tool to re-create your source content in the target language is just too risky. You need a tailored transcreation of your valuable content.
Tailored transcreation or CAT translation? It’s a no brainer.
