Translation of marketing texts – by translators with a flair for copywriting

Your marketing material represents your company and is the shop window for your brand. Therefore, it is of the utmost importance that the translation is not only accurate and reliable, but also captures the tone of voice through the right choice of words and style.

Translating marketing material is not just about translating from the source language into another language. It is about conveying a message in a way that feels natural, relevant and spot-on in the target language. The reader should not even suspect that the text was originally written in another language.

A good translation requires a delicate touch, linguistic creativity, equivalence and a deep understanding of the source text, the market and the target audience. The translator must understand the message the writer wants to convey and know how to adapt it so that it is received in the desired way by the target audience. It is a matter of finding the right phrasing to reflect the meaning of the original, while at the same time adapting the tonality, style and mode of expression so that the text feels natural and effortless in its new context.

The main requirement for translating technical texts, such as user manuals and medical information, is that the content is rendered accurately and unambiguously. The same naturally applies to marketing texts – but these require further processing and adaptation. The translator needs to be able to reformulate and restructure the material, and ensure that the tone of voice reflects the company's brand and suits the target market and audience. In addition, factors such as type area and search engine optimisation can be important aspects, particularly in digital channels. We have the experience and expertise required to ensure that your marketing communication works just as well in all languages – regardless of the channel.

The translated text may need to be adapted to cultural differences between different countries that affect how messages and communication are received. What in one environment sounds new, fun and relaxed can be incomprehensible in another environment – perhaps even rude or offensive. This applies in particular to advertising and copy – here it is a matter of having an understanding and a deft touch for your market, and for recipients with different cultural backgrounds.

Translating a text into another language is difficult enough – a task that requires an experienced professional. However, when it comes to marketing texts, localisation may also be required. What is that? Localisation is about looking beyond the wording – about giving the translated text the same (equivalent) function in the target language region – what translation theorists call the ”locale” – as in the source language region. This can apply to obvious details, such as converting measurements and currencies. But it can also be about finding relevant equivalents for web pages, legal texts and authorities' names. Here, the translator and project manager are always in dialogue with the client, and make no crucial decisions without the client's approval. When it comes to marketing, it can also be about adapting the message so that it cannot be perceived as alien, offensive or provocative. A German or Japanese customer expects a completely different tone of voice than a Swedish one, and a light-hearted joke in one language can be grossly offensive in another culture. Localising your marketing material is the same as protecting yourself from embarrassment, from sounding incompetent and from breaking marketing laws, unwritten rules and social norms.

For marketing texts, pure translation is not enough. It is a matter of creating a feel that reflects the company's brand. It is not just what is said in the text, but how it is said that gives the text impact. Therefore, it may be relevant to consider copytranslation for marketing texts.

Transcreation, or copy translation as it is known in Swedish, is a type of translation that is freer and more creative than conventional translation. The method is applied primarily to marketing texts and is a further step towards ensuring your message gets across in the way you intend. A brand uses linguistic tone of voice, storytelling and visual content to create a specific effect on recipients. However, there are many subtle nuances that cannot be translated directly. One example is a company slogan consisting of a witty play on words. Yet when it is lifted out of its original linguistic and cultural environment, it can fall flat. This is where transcreation comes in. Copy translation focuses on the feeling you want to convey and how it can be recreated in another language and culture. To achieve the impact you desire in the new market, a translation is not always enough – a completely reworked text with a new visual expression may be required. A copy translation adapts your source text to the target audience and the market where it is to be used. Contact us early in the project and we will help you find the right level and the right tone – and to set up a process and schedule that suit your needs.

Different campaigns need to be presented with different messages in different countries. This applies equally to large international companies as to smaller businesses. The conditions vary from market to market – the right tone of voice in the message, the imagery, the people shown and quoted in the marketing text, the product name itself, and which facts are highlighted. Translating the source text is only part of the work. The text may need to be completely rewritten. One market might expect greater objectivity, another more personality, a third a completely different form of address … and so on.

When is transcreation or creative translation required? A common workflow is to begin with transcreation, then translate. Different languages require different types and degrees of processing for the result to suit the intended market or target group. One needs to take cultural differences into account and be considerably freer in one's translation. Perhaps the text also needs to include certain words or be SEO-optimised, or is there a given layout space to adhere to? It is then that transcreation becomes relevant. Our translators are professional native-speaking translators and are well-versed in current trends, expectations and conventions within their target language areas.

A text that has not only been translated, but has undergone transcreation, evokes the same emotions and has the same tone in its new linguistic environment as the original text. We choose our translators to ensure your texts evoke the desired response from your recipients, whether it is factual product descriptions, inspiring blog posts or compelling advertisements. Get in touch and we will help you find the right process and the right translator or transcreator for your assignment.

It is not only the content that is important, but the entire context – the environment in which your text will be presented. Together, we will go through what is important to consider for you to achieve the best possible result.

The need
Start by identifying your own need. What is it that I want to achieve?

Aims and message
Once you have identified your need, you also need to set a goal. What is your message? What is it you want to convey? Your message must be clear for the translation to be clear.

The recipient
What is your target audience and your market? Who do you want to target? Which market do you want to influence? This can involve various demographic, geographical, and behavioural groups. Different target groups/segments may need to be addressed with different approaches and texts.

Cultural adaptation
The translation must take cultural differences into account and the message must be presented in a way that is relevant to the target audience.

Channel
Which channels should be used? How should the message be communicated? Does the translation need to be SEO-optimised? Do print area constraints need to be taken into account? Should the alt texts also be keyword-optimised? Many aspects need to be identified for the translation to be as good as possible.

Linguistic precision and style
Once the above has been clarified, it is time to review the company's linguistic requirements regarding tone and style. How does the company want to convey its message? At what linguistic level? What form of address should permeate the texts? What form of address do the recipients expect? The translation must not only be accurate and clear, but it must use the correct terms and expressions. The translation should reflect the brand's tone and style in the target language.

Translation method
There are several methods for tackling a text. For pure information sharing to employees within a company, carefully post-edited machine translation can go a long way. But for a marketing text designed to convey a message, evoke emotions and strike the right chords, human translation, transcreation and localisation are the primary methods. It may take longer. It may cost more. But together with us, you will reach your goal.

We hire many different translators. Some are pure technicians who specialise in conveying factual information and technical data to the reader in a clear way. Other translators are naturally factual, but also have a creative streak, and are copywriters and transcreators in addition to being translators. Marketing texts and copy require a great deal of creative thinking, research and adaptation – not just pure translation.

It can sometimes be difficult to tell the difference between a copywriter and a translator. A copywriter is a professional writer, who is often also a translator. A translator is first and foremost a linguist, but many of our translators have extensive experience of writing and translating copy and marketing texts. As a translation agency, we find the right professional for every assignment. In this context, it is important to be aware that a translator – however creative they may be – does not have the authority to deviate from the source text beyond a certain extent. That is why it is absolutely vital that, right from the start, we go through your specific requirements and instructions, and set the framework for communication between you, the project manager and the translator. Only then can the result be truly excellent – and effectively convey your message.

We believe in the power of a well-considered message. Our experienced translators work meticulously to ensure that every text is both informative and engaging, with a tone of voice that reflects your brand's unique identity. By carefully analysing your target audience and your brand's core values, we select the right translator for each project and create translations that not only reach out, but also hit the mark.

With us, you get a team of translators, reviewers and project managers with broad knowledge and many years of experience in writing market-adapted texts across various industries. Many of our translators and reviewers have an education and background in journalism and copy. Our translators only translate into their respective native languages and they live in the country where the language is spoken or have regular contact with their home country. This is important because languages are constantly evolving. A translator must be up to date with their language and local trends in order to create a current and appealing text.

After years of working with high-quality translations for a multitude of clients with varying needs and requirements, we have built up reliable and efficient processes and can adapt them to suit your exact project.

Contact us and we will arrange a meeting to go through your wishes and needs. The easiest way to contact us is via our contact form.