In this series, we’re drawing back the curtain, giving you a peek at the work that goes into successful transcreation.
What is transcreation?
We think of transcreation as ‘translation with imagination’. It involves the creative translation of a piece of text with regional context, nuance, and culture at its heart.
Done well, transcreation will establish your brand as trusted, familiar and authentic with customers all over the world.
Transcreation in action: A festive subject line
In this example, our Spanish translator explains the thought process behind the transcreation of an email subject line.
Content type: Email subject line
Goal: Compel readers to open an email
Languages: en_US to es_ES
Source copy: Get your book into hands of holiday shoppers
A literal and grammatically correct translation into Spanish would be …
Pon tu libro en manos de los compradores para las fiestas
While this is technically correct, it is not the best translation for the sentence.
Why?
The phrase poner en manos de or put into someone’s hands is used in Spanish to mean giving responsibility to someone.
While it could be understood, by reading the whole sentence, that this was not the intended meaning, it would still inevitably be the first thought of a Spanish speaker.
As a result, the subject line would not be as catchy or as clear in Spanish as it is in English.
Chosen transcreation: Llega la temporada de regalar. ¡Haz que elijan tu libro!
Back translation: Gifting season is coming. Make sure they choose your book!
Additional notes
- The phrase gifting season is a widespread way of referring to the festive period in Spanish
- The addition of the phrase is coming adds a sense of urgency which can help to drive email open rates
- There are no gender marks, which is always preferable when referring to the public
The effective transcreation of a single phrase or sentence can make all the difference. Our team’s approach to localisation means that the thought and care you put into creating a campaign is felt by your customers, wherever they are in the world.
Learn more about our services.
In this series, we’re drawing back the curtain, giving you a peek at the work that goes into successful transcreation.
What is transcreation?
We think of transcreation as ‘translation with imagination’. It involves the creative translation of a piece of text with regional context, nuance, and culture at its heart.
Done well, transcreation will establish your brand as trusted, familiar and authentic with customers all over the world.
Transcreation in action: A festive subject line
In this example, our Spanish translator explains the thought process behind the transcreation of an email subject line.
Content type: Email subject line
Goal: Compel readers to open an email
Languages: en_US to es_ES
Source copy: Get your book into hands of holiday shoppers
A literal and grammatically correct translation into Spanish would be …
Pon tu libro en manos de los compradores para las fiestas
While this is technically correct, it is not the best translation for the sentence.
Why?
The phrase poner en manos de or put into someone’s hands is used in Spanish to mean giving responsibility to someone.
While it could be understood, by reading the whole sentence, that this was not the intended meaning, it would still inevitably be the first thought of a Spanish speaker.
As a result, the subject line would not be as catchy or as clear in Spanish as it is in English.
Chosen transcreation: Llega la temporada de regalar. ¡Haz que elijan tu libro!
Back translation: Gifting season is coming. Make sure they choose your book!
Additional notes
- The phrase gifting season is a widespread way of referring to the festive period in Spanish
- The addition of the phrase is coming adds a sense of urgency which can help to drive email open rates
- There are no gender marks, which is always preferable when referring to the public
The effective transcreation of a single phrase or sentence can make all the difference. Our team’s approach to localisation means that the thought and care you put into creating a campaign is felt by your customers, wherever they are in the world.
Learn more about our services.
Related Posts
A look at sensitivity in translation, how errors can occurr and how to avoid them.
Discover how to localise email campaigns as part of an international marketing strategy.
Learn how and when different countries celebrate the start of each new year.
