Transcreation: A practical guide for global marketing success

Want your brand message to resonate globally? Then, traditional translation isn’t enough. Transcreation goes beyond word-for-word translation to recreate content that captures the target language’s meaning and emotional impact.

In this guide, we’ll explore the definition of transcreation, how it differs from other language services, and how to implement it effectively in your global marketing strategy.

What is transcreation?

Transcreation is blending translation with creative adaptation to ensure your message retains its impact across different cultures.

In creative translation, parts of the original text can often be retained, allowing for minimal changes while maintaining the original message. However, the process typically involves crafting the text from scratch in the target language to evoke emotions that resonate deeply with the target audience.

You will primarily use this approach in marketing materials, taglines, and similar creative content, where the goal is to engage local audiences while preserving your brand’s core identity.

How does transcreation differ from localization?

While both processes aim to adapt content for global audiences, they serve distinct purposes.

Transcreation is about creatively adapting a message to resonate emotionally with the target audience, while localization focuses on adjusting content to fit the technical and cultural specifics of a local market.

Take a look at the characteristics of each approach:

Benefits of professional transcreation

Market performance and ROI

Professional transcreation typically delivers higher engagement rates and better conversion rates compared to standard translation.

Companies investing in it properly often achieve strong market success in new territories because their message authentically connects with local audiences.

Brand integrity and trust

Rather than diluting your brand message, professional transcreation enhances it by making it more accessible and meaningful to each target audience. This approach builds trust with local consumers while maintaining global brand consistency.

Competitive edge through creative translation

Companies that invest in this approach gain a significant advantage over competitors that rely on simple translation.

By demonstrating deep understanding and respect for local culture, brands can establish stronger connections with local audiences and avoid cultural missteps that could damage their reputation in new markets.

The importance of a transcreation brief

A brief is essential for a successful project. It outlines goals and requirements and guides the team, ensuring everyone understands the objectives, target audience, and desired outcomes. It also aligns the team with the client’s vision and enhances content resonance.

To create an effective brief, include the following elements:

• Project overview and objectives: Clearly define what the project aims to achieve and the specific goals you have in mind.
• Target audience: Detail who your target audience is, including their demographics, preferences, and cultural nuances.
• Brand guidelines and tone of voice: Provide guidelines on how your brand should be represented, including tone, style, and key messaging points.
• Source content and reference materials: Include the original content and any reference materials that can help the transcreation team understand the context.
• Desired outcome and KPIs: Specify what success looks like and how it will be measured.
• Timeline and deadlines: Outline the project timeline, including key milestones and final deadlines.

Reviewing the brief with the client in a meeting is highly recommended to ensure mutual understanding and allow the client to articulate their expectations clearly, thereby preventing any potential miscommunications.

Examples of transcreation successes and failures

Let’s take a look at some examples so you gain insights into best practices and common pitfalls to avoid when adapting content for international audiences.

1. Haribo

Haribo stands out as a masterclass in international slogan adaptation, particularly because it maintains both meaning and musicality across languages.

The company’s original German slogan, created in 1935, is “Haribo macht Kinder froh, und Erwachsene ebenso” (Haribo makes children happy, and adults just the same).

What makes this slogan special is how well it’s been translated for different countries – keeping its playful rhythm while still saying “everyone loves these sweets” in a way that sounds catchy in each language.

For example, in France, the slogan was changed to “Haribo, c’est beau la vie, pour les grands et les petits” (Haribo, life is beautiful, for the big ones and the little ones), while in Italy it was “Haribo è la bontà che si gusta ad ogni età” (Haribo is the goodness that can be enjoyed at any age). The Spanish version “Vive un sabor mágico, ven al mundo Haribo” (Experience a magical flavor, come to Haribo’s world) also keeps the musicality.

In summary, what makes Haribo’s approach particularly successful is its commitment to three key elements:

1. Maintaining the musical jingle melody across all versions
2. Preserving the core message of multi-generational appeal
3. Adapting the rhyme scheme to sound natural in each language rather than forcing direct translations

2. Dolce & Gabbana

Even in the world of fashion translation, understanding the culture is crucial to avoid offending your customers.

Cultural sensitivity can make or break a campaign, as demonstrated by a notorious example involving Dolce & Gabbana.

The brand faced significant backlash when it launched the “Eating with Chopsticks” campaign in China as it was perceived as culturally insensitive, highlighting the importance of maintaining cultural awareness and respect in international marketing.

The videos featured stereotypical elements and a condescending narrator who appeared to mock Chinese speech, leading to widespread accusations of racism and sexism. Despite the brand quickly removing the content, the hashtag “BoycottDolce” went viral on Chinese social media and the scandal soon gained international attention.

3. KFC

One of the most famous examples of translation gone wrong comes from KFC’s entry into the Chinese market in the 1980s.

Their iconic English slogan “Finger-lickin’ good,” which effectively conveys the enjoyable messiness of eating fried chicken, took an unintentionally dark turn in Chinese when they translated it for “eat your fingers off”.

6 strategic steps to transcreation

Now that we know what good and bad transcreation is, you might wonder what the step-by-step approach is to effectively implement this technique in your marketing strategy.

We consider these six steps are essential if you want to create an impact with your message:

1. Gather cultural insights

Before any creative work begins, invest time understanding your target market’s cultural landscape. Research local trends, consumer behaviors, and cultural taboos.

Analyze successful local campaigns and identify cultural touchpoints that resonate with your target audience.

2. Map your message strategically for your target audience

Map your core message to local cultural values. Identify which aspects of your brand story will resonate most strongly in the target market and which elements might need adaptation.

This goes beyond translation to understand how your brand can authentically connect with local audiences.

3. Develop a creative framework

Create a framework that balances brand consistency with local adaptation. Establish tone, imagery, and messaging guidelines that allow for cultural nuance while maintaining brand integrity.

This step ensures your transcreated content remains recognizable as your brand while speaking directly to local audiences.

4. Integrate local experts in the process

Bring together a team that combines linguistic expertise with local market knowledge. Professional translators play a crucial role in the transcreation process, working alongside copywriters and marketers to ensure the message is accurately adapted.

Include native creative professionals who understand both your brand values and local cultural nuances. Their insights will help bridge the gap between your global message and local resonance.

5. Create and adapt your content

Now comes the creative process of actually adapting your content. Understanding the source language is crucial as it informs how the creative briefs are crafted to resonate culturally with the target audience.

Your team should develop multiple creative options that capture your message’s essence while resonating with local audiences.

6. Conduct QA tests

Test your adapted content with local audiences before launch. This step helps identify potential cultural misalignments and ensures your message achieves its intended impact.

Make adjustments based on feedback to optimize your content’s effectiveness.

What industries can benefit from transcreation?

The need for transcreation spans across industries, but its application varies significantly by sector.

Translating content from one language to another presents challenges in preserving tone, intent, and cultural relevance to ensure effective communication across different linguistic markets.

While beauty products require particular attention to cultural beauty standards and local preferences, other industries face their own unique challenges.

For example, the food and beverage industry must navigate diverse taste descriptions and dining customs, technology companies need to make complex concepts accessible across cultural boundaries, and the automotive sector balances technical specifications with emotional appeals that vary by market.

Can we use machine translation to transcreate?

While AI has revolutionized many aspects of language services, it falls short when it comes to transcreation. Creative adaptation requires understanding subtle cultural nuances, emotional resonance, and brand voice – elements machines simply cannot replicate effectively.

Cultural implications often get lost in machine translation. A perfectly translated phrase might miss cultural context, humor, or emotional undertones that are crucial for marketing impact.

Conclusion: Investing in global success

Transcreation isn’t just an option for global marketing—it’s necessary for brands serious about international success. Investing in professional transcreation services pays dividends through stronger market performance, authentic cultural connections, and sustained brand growth:

• Start by assessing your current global content strategy
• Identify areas where cultural adaptation could strengthen your message
• Consider beginning with a pilot project in a key market to demonstrate the value of transcreation for your organization

Remember: in today’s global marketplace, effective transcreation is the key to building genuine connections that drive sustainable international growth.

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