So you're getting ready to expand your business overseas. Maybe that means you're opening a new office, or maybe you're planning to negotiate with a new supplier. Either way, chances are that you're going to be flying over to meet the folks on the ground with whom you'll be working. Nothing beats a face-to-face meeting. It's critical to establishing trust and good rapport. Just be sure to do your homework so that you begin on the right foot. It can be easy to inadvertently give offense if you're not familiar with the local niceties. And unfortunately, Americans are known throughout the world for not brushing up before they visit. Just a couple of weeks ago John Kerry found himself in an awkward situation when meeting French President Holland. Mr. Kerry, in a gregarious American way, tried to hug Holland and wound up in a half-kiss half-embrace. According to The Telegraph, the French media struggled to even translate the word ‘hug.’ In Japan, it’s polite to scrutinize the business card you’re given before putting it away. If you take the card and immediately stick it in your bag you've given offense before you've even begun. And in Germany, you need to make sure you're on time for your meetings, or you give the impression that you don't think your German associates are very important. Finally, take the time to learn a little bit of the language of the country you are visiting. At least be able to say hello, goodbye, how are you, and thank you. And try to learn the standard responses to each. When I moved to Boston, I quickly learned that the query "how are you" was not meant to be a conversation opener as it was in Denver. The same sort of conventions apply in different cultures. The more effort you put in to trying to understand the local culture, the better your business will grow.
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Increasingly the word transcreation is popping up on the internet and you may be wondering what it means. Well, building off of last week's blog, transcreation means adapting a marketing message from one language to another while keeping the tone, style, and intent the same. This generally means that marketing messages should not be translated word for word, as such a translation would result in stilted, awkward text and is likely to have diminished impact in the target market. Rather, the professional translator should read the entire text to be translated and then render it in the target language so that it accurately reflects the intentions and feel of the original.
Often transcreation will require translators to substitute different jokes, appropriate in-country slang, or modified rhymes. If your original marketing message ties into what's currently in vogue in your culture, for example with teen slang or referenced pop music, your translator will need to understand the culture of the destination language well enough to use appropriate references from that market so that the essence of the marketing message remains the same and is relevant to the local consumer. So the next time you take your marketing campaign out of country, give your translation team a little leeway to fully adapt your message to the local market. You won't get a word-for-word translation, but you will get great results. When companies translate marketing campaigns, websites, and even product manuals for use in overseas markets they walk a fine line. In addition to the straightforward translation that must occur, companies also need to adapt their materials for the local market. If the U.S. campaign features a bunch of healthy looking kids drinking milk, but in the new market kids don't drink milk, the message is not going to resonate and an opportunity will be missed. So it is essential that companies think about the local culture and how their product fits in.
Often companies need to emphasize different aspects of their products. For example, in Europe car companies may want to emphasize that they offer small, easy to park, and fuel efficient vehicles. But those same companies may need to show the U.S. market that their cars have up to date gadgets, leather interiors, and oversized sunroofs, if they are going to be successful. At the same time, companies need to find a way to be true to their brands. If their brand stands for wholesome and organic food, they need to be sure to talk about those qualities in all their markets. Otherwise, their brand will become diluted and they risk having their brand not stand for anything. The trick is to figure out what is it about your offering that all cultures want and admire--what qualities are valued across cultures that you can emphasize to create a cohesive brand strategy. Then add in those additional qualities that are unique to each country or culture.
THE AWKWARD TRANSLATION ON APPLE'S CHINESE WEBPAGE OF THE IPHONE6 TAGLINE. Author: Yvette Fang | CEO, RABI For one day and night, Chinese media and netizens were having a party with a theme: making fun of the simplified Chinese version of the main slogan for iPhone 6 because of its awkward language.
Why does Apple call the iPhone “Bigger than bigger?” Because, according to its website, "iPhone 6 isn’t simply bigger — it’s better in every way. Larger, yet dramatically thinner. More powerful, but remarkably power efficient." However, Apple’s Chinese version of the slogan is a word-to-word translation, which forms an awkward phrase and refers only to the actual size, not the added functionality. Translation has three levels, from low to high: faithfulness, expressiveness and elegance. Apple’s Chinese translation does not even reach the faithfulness stage, never mind expressiveness or elegance, despite Apple’s reputation in the U.S. for its marketing prowess. The translation has since been revised to a better reflect what Apple is trying to say, but not without having left its mark. In China, Apple competes against upstart cell phone maker Xiaomi, whose phones are known for being competitive in terms of functionality and inexpensive compared to the big brands. Apple’s translation snafu has led to Chinese consumers debating whether they should purchase a phone that is “bigger than bigger in size,” and missing the point that the phone also offers functions that cheaper imitations don’t provide. Most of us, at one time or another have had a similar experience, where we encountered an advertising slogan that made no sense or didn’t explain the value in a way that spoke to us. It is like hearing a song which does not touch your heart. If it doesn’t ring true, you won't buy it. When selling premium products and services in foreign market, using a premium local language service is key. Subtle language nuances can make all the difference in relating thoughts and information. Steve Jobs used to scratch iPhone screens with a key to test the material. If Apple had taken the time to test their marketing message like they did their product, they would not have damaged their reputation and confused their customers.
"Language Is a Window into the Mind." Steven Pinker, renowned linguistics expert, discusses how nuance in language affects our relationships, both business and social. He also delves into the importance and usage of metaphors in language. Because language subtleties are so key to effective relationships, companies need to have translations of their documents done by professional translators who are fluent in the target language to ensure that those nuances are not lost or transformed. http://youtu.be/UnyJvCJrRys Economies thrive on the global exchange of goods, services, people and information. The U.S. used to head the list of globally connected countries, but the latest data from McKinsey Global Institute and the McKinsey High Tech Practice shows that Germany now tops the chart followed by Hong Kong. The U.S. has sunk to 3rd place. And what about global powerhouse China? It is in 25th place, largely due to restrictions on the flow of people and information. Why does global connectedness matter? This research shows that the more connected a country is, the faster it's GDP grows. This post by IBM discusses the importance of planning for your global audience from product inception. Determine which markets will need to have localized products and include translation of the products and the product manual in your project plan from the beginning. This ensures that the UI and look and feel will work in the finished product. Read IBM's post for more on IBM's global product development best practice. Evidence continues to mount that consumers want to access information in their own languages. According to this Huffington Post article, when Facebook launched a French version, it increased its French user base from 1.4 million to 2.4 million in just 3 months. 25% of companies translate their materials into 15 different languages. The volume of translated content grew by 80% in just the past year as companies raced to optimize their materials for local markets. Read on... |
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