Global marketers and businesses use many tools and processes to enter new markets. However, the goal is always the same—to connect with international audiences in meaningful ways, build brand awareness across different countries, and increase sales. The most effective method for creating that connection is to use the native language of any given market while also considering its cultural specificities. Sometimes, companies fail to do so. Content needs to be adapted culturally, and that’s where transcreation steps in.
Transcreation goes beyond literal translation, considering aspects such as brand voice, target audience, geographical location, and cultural context. It merges creative copywriting and content creation with linguistic and cultural expertise.
What is Transcreation?
Transcreation is a process that adapts content from one language to another while maintaining its intent, style, tone, and context.
Unlike traditional translation, which focuses on accurately converting text word-for-word, transcreation involves reimagining the content to resonate emotionally and culturally with the target audience. This method ensures the message is understood and feels native to the audience, preserving the original content’s essence and impact.
Transcreation goes beyond literal translation, considering aspects such as brand voice, target audience, geographical location, and cultural context. It merges creative copywriting and content creation with linguistic and cultural expertise.
The Difference Between Translation and Transcreation
While translation typically focuses on converting text from one language to another as accurately as possible, transcreation goes a step further by adapting the content to connect deeply with new global markets.
This process is crucial for advertising, marketing, and branding.
For instance, at Yucalab, we work closely with companies, brands, and other agencies to adapt their voice, campaigns, and content for the Hispanic market in the United States, Latin America, and Spain.
The Importance of Transcreation in Global Marketing
Understanding cultural nuances and employing adaptive marketing is vital in an interconnected world.
Transcreation builds bridges, allowing brands to communicate authentically and resonate locally while maintaining the essence of their original message. This process ensures cultural relevance, brand voice consistency, and engaging content.
The Transcreation Process: Key Steps and Strategies
Transcreation is a meticulous process that requires creativity and an in-depth understanding of the target culture.
The steps typically include:
- Understanding the Brand and Message through a Transcreation Brief: The client should provide a detailed brief that includes the topic idea, guidelines, relevant information about the brand and target audience, links to existing websites, content and campaign assets, and examples of previous copies if translations have been done before. This brief ensures alignment and consistency.
- Cultural Research: Investigating the target audience’s cultural norms, values, and preferences.
- Creative Adaptation: Rewriting content to align with cultural insights while preserving the original intent.
- Review and Feedback: In some cases, collaborating with native speakers to refine the content.
- Finalization: Ensuring the final content is both accurate and impactful.
What Kind of Content Needs Transcreation?
Transcreation is essential for content that aims to connect emotionally with the audience rather than just convey factual information.
Types of content that benefit from transcreation include:
Marketing and Advertising Material
- TV, radio, online ads, and billboards
- Taglines and Slogans
- Social Media Content & Campaigns
- Banners
Website & Digital Content
- Landing Pages
- Blogs and Articles
- Educational Content
Entertainment and Media
- TV Shows, Movies and Book titles
- Video Games
- Content for Voice Search
Benefits of Transcreation for Brands
Transcreation offers several advantages for brands seeking to expand their reach and resonate with diverse audiences:
Cultural Relevance
Transcreation ensures that content is not just translated but transformed to fit the cultural context of the target market. This involves understanding local idioms, humor, and cultural references that make the content relatable and engaging.
Brand Voice Consistency
Maintaining a consistent brand voice across different languages and cultures is challenging. Transcreation helps safeguard the brand’s voice while adapting it to appeal to local audiences, ensuring its core message remains intact and compelling.
Engaging Content
Creative content adaptation means it can converse compellingly with the audience, creating a stronger emotional connection. This engagement is crucial for marketing success and brand loyalty.
Collaborating with Transcreation Professionals
Working with experts in translation, copywriting, and cultural adaptation ensures that your campaigns and content effectively connect with your international target audience.
Examples of Successful Transcreation in Books and Movies
Book Titles
Consider Logan Ury’s book title, “How to Not Die Alone,” which was transcreated into Spanish as “Tu Pareja Ideal” (Your Ideal Partner).
While the literal translation would be “Cómo No Morir Solo,” it wouldn’t convey the positivity and essence of the original.
“Tu Pareja Ideal” resonates with the hope of finding a cherished relationship, beautifully appealing to Spanish-speaking readers.
Movie Titles
In Latin America, Pixar’s movie “Inside Out” was titled “Intensa-mente,” a clever wordplay combining “intensa” (intense) and “mente” (mind). This captures the film’s essence and appeals to the Hispanic audience.
In Spain, it was titled “Del revés” (Upside Down), hinting at a world turned inside out, effectively resonating with the local market.
Challenges and Best Practices in Transcreation
While transcreation offers numerous benefits, it also presents challenges:
Creative Freedom
Transcreators need the freedom to go beyond words and consider the context, tone, and emotions to connect with the audience. This often requires balancing creativity with maintaining the original message’s intent.
Cultural Sensitivity
Understanding and respecting cultural nuances is essential to avoid misinterpretations or offending the target audience. Continuous cultural research and collaboration with native experts are crucial.
Client Collaboration
Working closely with clients to understand their vision, objectives, and brand voice ensures that the transcreated content aligns with their expectations and resonates with the target audience.
“Creativity is a process, and so is transcreation.” – Nina Sattler-Hovdar
Transcreation at Yucalab: Success Stories and Experiences
At Yucalab, we’ve undertaken numerous transcreation projects, helping brands connect with the US Hispanic market and Spanish-speaking audiences across different regions. We have collaborated with B2B and B2C clients in industries such as health, insurance, fashion, food, and more.
Recently, we partnered with an agency to adapt the slogan and launch a household cleaning product campaign targeting a specific demographic in a well-represented region in the United States. We developed a message that emotionally resonated with the audience while staying true to the original campaign. The campaign was highly successful, and both our client (the agency) and their client (the brand) expressed their joy and satisfaction with the outcome of our collaborative efforts.
The Future of Transcreation in a Globalized World
As the world becomes increasingly interconnected, the demand for transcreation is set to grow.
Transcreation is a gateway for brands to enter new international markets, allowing them to communicate through their content, ads, and marketing campaigns in a manner that is both authentic and resonant at a local level while maintaining their original messages.
Brands that value cultural nuances and employ adaptive marketing will thrive. Transcreation enables them to forge genuine connections with diverse audiences, ensuring their content remains impactful and relevant across different cultures.
