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Transcreation for DeepCross-Cultural ConnectionWhy choosing precisely the right words matter

Jeffrey Constantin, SDL

Paulette Haedo, Royal Caribbean International

SDL Language Customer Success Summit | June 7, 2016

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Today’s presenters

Jeffrey ConstantinBusiness Consultant

Paulette HaedoManager, Global Business Solutions

Paulette HaedoJeffrey Constantin

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The challenge of achievingcross-cultural emotional connection

Challenge #1:

Content must make an impact quickly

2000 20150

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Human attention span is shortening

Source: National Center for Biotechnology Information, U.S. National Library of Medicine

Goldfish’s attention span:

9Seconds

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Source: Institute of Practitioners of Advertising

Challenge #2:

Emotional contentworks better

Pro

fitab

ility

Emotional Combined Rational0%

500%

1000%

1500%

2000%

2500%

3000%

3500%3100%

2600%

1600%

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“Got Milk?” “Finger Lickin’ Good”

Challenge #3:

Getting the message just right across cultures is tricky

“Are You Lactating?”

…translated to…

(L.A. Spanish)

“Eat Your Fingers Off”

…translated to…

(Chinese)

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To translate or to transcreate, that is the question…Transcreation

“… is the process by which new content is adapted for a given target audience.”

Team of Bilingual Copywriter(s)

Concept or paragraph-based translation with or without TM

Paid by the hour

800 to 1,200 words per day

Translation“…is the communication of the meaning of a source-language text by means of an equivalent target-language text.”

Solo Translator

Sentence-based translation with TM

Paid by the word count

1,500 to 2,000 words per day

Informative, factualFaithful to original source

Motivational, inspirationalFaithful to creative strategy and overall concept

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English

The world awaits

Transcreation (French)

Translation(French)

Le monde vous tend les bras

Le mondevous attend

Back-translation: “the world is reaching out to you”

Translation vs. Transcreation

Transcreation (Portuguese)

Translation(Portuguese)

O mundo àsua porta

O mundoespera

Back-translation: “the world at your door”

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Do You Need Transcreation?

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1What are we trying to communicate?

Consider the complexity and components within the message. The more complex and less direct the message, the more likely it is that transcreation is needed.

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2What cultures and languages are being translated?

The basic rule to remember is that the greater the disparity between the source and the target market, in terms of language, norms, etiquette and culture, the more likely that transcreation is required.

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3How does your target market differ from your local one?

When there are many cultural contexts and references involved in a complex marketing message, then even similar cultures may not be able to share exactly the same marketing.

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4Will you be translating content that requires cultural context?

Many expressions can be entirely culturally-specific and have almost no shared characteristics. Culturally-specific reference points rarely translate well, if at all. Remember that what may mean one thing to a certain culture may have an entirely different contextual meaning to another.

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5What type of content is it?

Transcreation is meant to capture the essence of a creative strategy, while adapting the content to a target market. This can be a targeted effort on a tagline or marketing concept, it does not need to apply to an entire piece of content. .

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Example: Creative copy

Give your clothes the TLC they deserve with sturdy hangers that help garments hold their shape. Bonus: matching hangers give your closets a clean, uncluttered look.

Get Sorted

Get Hung Up

The bedroom should be the place where you go to rest and relax. Master the mess in your bedroom and closet with storage, furniture pieces and accessories to make it your oasis of calm.

Make your closet one of your favorite spaces in your home. A great closet organizing system will increase your usable space and put all of your clothes, shoes and accessories right where you find them.

Engl

ish

Canadian French

Store It in Style

Clean SweepGive your closet a fresh start. With the closet empty, take the time to wipe down all of the shelves, dust and vacuum thoroughly.

La chambre à coucher devrait servir de lieu de repos et de détente. Éliminez le désordre en vous servant de meubles et d’accessoires pour créer plus de rangement et, par le fait même, votre havre de paix.

Métamorphosez vos garde-robes pour les rendre des plus agréables. Un bon système d'organisation du garde-robe augmentera l'espace disponible et vous permettra de tout trouver sans devoir chercher.

Traitez vos vêtements aux petits oignons avec des cintres robustes pour qu'ils conservent leur forme. Un plus : des cintres qui s'agencent pour une allure nette et dégagée.

Pour un renouveau tout beau. Maintenant que votre garde-robe est vide, essuyez les tablettes, enlevez la poussière et passez l'aspirateur.

Chic et pratique

À vos ordres!

Au sens propre

La cintre paix

HAND-OFF CHECKLIST FOR TRANSCREATION PROJECTS1. Creative Brief

2. Terminology and/or Branded Term List (Copyright, Trademark, etc.)

3. Visual references

4. Any relevant content associated to the same Creative Brief

5. In-country SME contact information

6. Confirmation if back-translations are required (yes/no)

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