Translation Part II: The case for transcreation

We covered the basics of translation in Part I of my interview with Chanin Ballance of viaLanguage here. Unfortunately, simply using a computer program to translate advertising copy from Language A to Language B leaves a lot to be desired. The Chevy Nova mistake is one example.

"A similar cross-cultural faux pas was averted before the "Got Milk?" campaign was launched in Hispanic markets," said Ms. Ballance. "As it turns out, the phrase translates as "¿Tienes leche?", which can mean "Are you lactating?" - a good catch by the translation team before simply launching the same "Got Milk?" campaign to a Hispanic audience."

Ms. Ballance is an advocate of translation, but in addition to simply translating ads she says marketers need to understand the cultural differences in language. This calls for transcreation.

First, a quick definition: transcreation takes content which has been translated and checks or adapts the translated content to ensure it is culturally relevant as well.

"[Transcreation is] normally reserved for marketing copy with heavy messaging that does not 'translate' simply. It is localization at its best combined with a flair for copywriting," said Ms. Ballance. "Imagine you work directly for a company that has a new product or service that they wish to launch, and you are charged with creating and manipulating the promotional text that will not only introduce this to the [domestic] audience, but bring it to life and make people really believe in it. It should intrigue them, beguile them and, ultimately, prompt them to buy into the concept. [Transcreation] allows you to reach the audience at an emotional and intellectual level, making the communication both more meaningful and more effective."

What is the difference between transcreation and creating many different campaigns for the different target markets? Time. Consider the time it takes to create a campaign simply for the domestic audience. Creating each campaign for each country/region separately could triple or quadruple the amount of creative time spent on a project. Transcreation takes much less time.

The key, according to Ms. Ballance, is to know you cannot be everywhere at once. Marketers must prioritize where products and campaigns need to be in order of importance - where the product will have the biggest impact, the most support, etc.

"Translation includes . . . Translation: Converting written text or spoken words to another language. Localization: Localizing translation for a specific region or language by adding locale-specific nuance and translating text. Transcreation: combining native language translation to ensure cultural nuance. Internationalization: Designing web and products so they can be adapted to various languages and regions without engineering changes. Globalization: Integrating localization throughout a company - into marketing, sales and customer support - in addition to proper product design and internationalization," said Ms. Ballance.

Tags: ad translation, online advertising, transcreation, translation, viaLanguage