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.
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"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. Chinese Companies Are Poised to Go West Joel Backaler, author of “China Goes West: Everything You Need to Know About Chinese Companies Going Global discusses why so few Chinese companies have successfully taken their brands global and how that is going to change in the near future. Don't miss this insightful video about the coming power of Chinese brands. http://show.thoughtfulchina.com/china-goes-west-en.html Your Chance to Seize a Huge OpportunityThis video, posted on Jing Daily, explores the opportunities available in the nascent mobile advertising market in China. Using well crafted, and dare we say, well translated messages, foreign firms should jump in now to take advantage of this huge new marketing channel. Watch now. NEI/Next Initiative Launched by U.S. Commerce Dept.
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