Sometimes accurate translation just isn’t right. Sometimes we need to use transcreation instead.
Transcreation is a relatively new term that means recreating a text for a target audience in a way that is appropriate and relevant for that audience. The term is a combination of the words translation and re-creation. While transcreation isn’t a mainstream concept yet, at Interpreters and Translators (iTi) we think it soon will be.
Text Reflects Emotion
Here’s how it differs from translation. Transcreation follows the same style and structure as the original text just like translation does. But with transcreation, the text is created to reflect the emotion, feeling or sentiment of the original copy in a natural linguistic way.
Transcreation requires a lot of creativity and linguists performing this task should have excellent knowledge of both the source and target language to be effective in their work.
Use Transcreation For Marketing and Advertising Copy
Transcreation is primarily used for marketing and advertising copy. In an article on this topic, Talha Fazlani, a technical marketing professional at Language Connect says transcreation is growing because so many companies are targeting international consumer bases. Companies are competing with local and international rivals.
Another reason for the growth of transcreation is that new marketing channels like online social networks have driven the need for succinct and engaging communication. Transcreation gives a company a competitive edge by helping them target their customers more effectively.
Eat Your Fingers Off
The website Transcreation.com tells a story about the United States’ fast-food company, Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC). When KFC set up their first fast food outlet in China in 1987, their famous “finger-lickin’ good” slogan was directly translated into the Chinese phrase “eat your fingers off.” KFC quickly changed the message and today there are over 900 KFC restaurants in China.
Other Examples of When to Use Transcreation
The issue with a straight translation comes down to the audience. Let’s say you wrote some marketing copy for a United States English-speaking sports audience. With that audience, it would be appropriate to use American sports terms like “baseball” and “blocking and tackling” and “slam dunk.” But terms like those, if translated straight into another language for a different audience, will not work.
Another example of when to use transcreation is in industries like life sciences. In life sciences, you may have to write about medication dosages. Those dosages must be concise, correct and direct. Transcreation helps ensure that the correct instructions are created that meet local regulatory requirements and practices. One of iTi’s translators once talked about the danger of telling a medical patient from a foreign country to take a tablespoon of medicine. In the U.S., a tablespoon is a specific measurement. But people from other countries don’t always have that unit of measurement and could think they can use any size spoon they use at a table.
Here are some more real life examples of transcreation in marketing and advertising.
Meaningful Connection Not Literal Translation Matters Most
What matters most in the global marketplace is meaningful connection with your audience. Transcreation is often the answer. It resonates with the local audience. It helps develop a strong connection between your company and the distant market you want to clearly speak to.
Every day foreign language web consumers are demanding more locally relevant content. Use transcreation to ensure you establish the correct communication strategy. Like Talha Fazlani says, “Transcreation is a necessity for companies that want to target a foreign market audience in the best possible way.”
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