Translation is wrong, Localisation is correct!

You have probably heard translation agencies stress the need to not only translate marketing and ad campaigns but to also localise them into the local culture. However, the notion of localisation can easily be overlooked when launching campaigns between two English speaking countries. For instance the USA and UK are both English speaking countries so the why would marketing and ad campaigns need to be localised? Because making the assumption that what your culture associates with a particular word, character, colour or event are the same as another cultures association is defiantly a school boy error to make.

This is defiantly a challenge for the modern day translation agency, mistakes are made with countries that speak the same languages let alone marketing campaigns that have gone through translation. Research shows that consumers are stubbornly demanding communication with brands in their native language, this is why the jib of a translation agency is not only to translate the words but to recognise the message of the words and portray that in the translation.

Marketing agencies need to recognise that rather than finding single translators (no matter how good they are) simply will not do the job. Rather this, marketing agencies need to outsource international marketing campaigns to a modern day translation agency. The translation agency will use all recourses combined such as translators, cultural experts, graphic designers, native speaking proofreaders and experienced project managers to ‘translate’ the marketing and ad campaigns more effectively.

If you still don’t understand the importance of recognising cultural differences within translating, let me leave you with this thought. Both Saudi Arabia and Spain are religious countries, where giving to charity is a deed that is linked closely to religion. If a charities ad campaign in Spain mentions the name of Jesus, the message of this ad can be portrayed into Saudi Arabia. However a simple translation will not consider the difference in the religious belief, but recognising this difference the name of Jesus can be changed to Allah. Same message but a localised translation has taken place.