Transcreating means "translating" and "creating" a message from one language into another, keeping in mind its suitability for the context and the targeted audience. A successfully transcreated message would therefore evoke the same emotions as the original message. A literal translation might be informative, but would fail to make the message resonate in the targeted culture. The problem with this approach is that your messages will not allow your customers to connect and engage with your brand, which will hinder your international growth.
The importance of transcreation in global marketing
When creating promotional content in the original language, advertisers tend to write simple and focused content, whilst offering something of immediate value and making their customers feel special. When you are translating this content, it is of utmost importance to replicate the emotional experience intended by the author as opposed to translating the mere words. This is the main purpose of marketing transcreation and the direct bridge between the marketing strategy in the original language and the marketing strategy in the target language.
The importance of transcreation in advertising international airways
In 1987, Braniff International Airways launched an advertisement on television, radio and newspapers with the slogan "fly in leather". The North American company was flaunting its leather-seated airplanes and tried to encourage its passengers to experience the luxury of flying with their airlines. Braniff failed to anticipate the negative connotations of its slogan in Spanish when it was translated as "vuela en cuero", which sounds like the Mexican slang for "fly naked". Translation and transcreation are therefore based on a common ground: the expert operates by creating a target text in language B based on a source text in language A. However, translation seems to be word-based, whilst transcreation tends to be concept-based. Marketing transcreation also grants the professional a big amount of creative freedom. For example, the transcreator can advise the client about changing the models in an advertisement to better fit the demographics of the target market. A translator would obviously be exempt from this duty when handling a technical brochure for example. This is because the content is factual and is not subject to any misinterpretations. The content also does not aim to give the reader any emotional experience to get a reaction that would propel them to buy a service or purchase a product. The cultural adaptation therefore takes the backseat and the precision of the instructions and word sequencing is given higher importance.