What is Transcreation
Transcreation epitomizes the intricate process of adapting a brand’s message from the source language to the target language, ensuring that the essence, tone, style, and intent are preserved. This practice is predominantly applied to succinct marketing or advertising materials, such as slogans and taglines.
Successful transcreation demands a diverse skill set, including:
- Proficiency in the target language at a technical native level.
- A deep understanding of the product or service in question.
- Thorough knowledge of the target market, including how the product or service is currently perceived.
- The creative ability to transform brand messages to resonate with the local audience.
In the realm of marketing texts, a high level of language proficiency is indispensable. However, it’s not always about adhering to strict grammar rules; frequently, grammatically correct sentences are swapped for commonly used “slang” to establish a direct connection with the target audience.
To excel at transcreation, one must not only learn about the product or service but also gain insights into how they are perceived, both positively and negatively, in the target country. Understanding how similar products or brands are marketed is also crucial.
Although there is a clear brief and brand message that must be maintained, a level of creativity is essential to adapt that message so that it seamlessly aligns with and conveys the intended “brand voice.”
Clearly, with any kind of marketing texts a really high level of language skills are required but not always “text book” language skills. Often grammatically correct sentences are replaced with commonly used “slang” to speak directly to the target audience.
Learning about not only the product or service but how they are currently considered in both a positive and negative way in the target country. How are other similar products or brands marketed?
While there will be a clear brief and brand message to be maintained, a level of creativity is required to be able to adapt that message so that it fits and carries the intended “brand voice”.
Transcreation is a key part of a global marketing strategy and with technological advances new markets are increasingly available if you are prepared to reach out with a multilingual marketing campaign. People always like to be spoken to in their own language.
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