What is transcreation?
Photo by Clark Tibbs When you hear the phrase ‘Finger-Lickin’ Good’, you immediately think of the fast food giant KFC. But what happens when a phrase is translated without context and creativity? In the 1980s, KFC ventured into China and sought to make a memorable entrance. They translated their renowned slogan into Mandarin. However, instead of employing transcreation, they opted for a literal translation resulting in 'Eat your fingers off'. Not so appetising, right? Had KFC utilised transcreation, they could have conjured the same tantalising imagery as their original. Let’s learn how. A Transcreation service involves transforming an existing piece of content into something that retains the original message but incorporates cultural references that resonate with the intended target audience. The term ‘transcreation’ blends translation and creation, sometimes referred to as creative translation. It’s predominantly employed for marketing materials such as slogans, advertisements and packaging. The objective? To make the audience feel as though the message was initially crafted in their language. A successful transcreation will elicit the intended emotions, maintain the brand’s voice, and prompt the audience to take action. In this post, we will explore: Transcreation vs translation When to use transcreation Examples of good transcreation The steps involved in transcreation Transcreation vs translation: What’s the difference? At this point, you might be wondering, what’s the difference between transcreation and a proficient translation? It's an intriguing comparison, and we’re going to share how each linguistic service varies. In essence, translation involves replacing words in [...]
