Whilst most people will have heard of translation, the concept of transcreation may be foreign to some. In this article, we provide a short breakdown.
Translation and transcreation are closely related, with both involving the transfer of words from one language to another. Yet transcreation – as the name suggests – calls for a splash more creativeness. With transcreation, it’s very common to stray away from the original text and sometimes even rewrite it completely. This is because what the linguist seeks to portray and transform is not so much the words themselves, but rather their essence and effect. At the heart of it, it is a mash-up between copywriting and translation.
To achieve this, it’s important to read between the lines and ask yourself:
- What is the author truly trying to say – and to whom?
- What reaction is the author looking for?
- What emotions should the target audience feel?
Straplines and Slogans
Straplines and slogans are often a great example of transcreation work. Take, for instance, German confectionary manufacturer Haribo, which operates in 26 nations and distributes to more than 120 countries worldwide. Below are just a few of the versions of its well-renowned advertising slogan, with literal translations provided in brackets:
- German: “Haribo macht Kinder froh und Erwachsene ebenso” (Haribo makes children happy and adults likewise)
- English: “Kids and grown-ups love it so, the happy world of Haribo”
- French: “Haribo, c’est beau la vie, pour les grands et les petits” (Haribo, life is great, for big and small)
- Spanish: “¡Vive un sabor mágico, ven al mundo Haribo!” (Experience a magical flavour, come to the world of Haribo!)
- Dutch: “Haribo maakt kinderen blij, volwassenen horen ook daarbij” (Haribo makes children happy, adults are also included)
- Polish: “Haribo smak radości, dla dzieci i dorosłych” (Haribo – the taste of happiness for children and adults)
- Bulgaria: “С Харибо сме радостни, Харибо обичаме” (We are together with Haribo, we love Haribo)
As these examples show, whilst a word-for-word translation might work from a purely grammatical viewpoint, it won’t necessarily get you the same outcome. If we look at the literal backtranslation of the original German above, it is anything but convincing. In fact, it sounds clunky and something just doesn’t feel right. The problem is, it sounds like a translation. The point of transcreation, however, is to disguise the act of translation. A transcreation should feel natural, as if it was written in that very language from the beginning. This ties in with the fact that businesses want their slogan to resonate well, as a botched marketing tagline doesn’t do anything for your brand image or your sales figures.
Another aspect to bear in mind here is that the Haribo jingle that accompanies the slogan follows the same tune across all markets. This consistency is undoubtedly a deliberate decision on behalf of the company. What this means for the translator is that their transcreation needs to flow to the beat of the music. They therefore need to pick the right number of syllables, which in turn influences and ultimately restricts their choice of words.
The jingle also needs to be catchy – the entire point of a jingle is to bury itself deep into your memory for hopefully years to come. This helps boost the all-important brand recognition and allows customers to build an emotional attachment to the brand. The German original has achieved this through rhyme: “Haribo”, “froh” and “ebenso” all end in an “oh” sound. The transcreated versions have followed this lead, with the English and Spanish also making the rhyme with the company name Haribo. Where this hasn’t proven workable, as in French, the rhyme is made elsewhere. This rhyming structure creates an upbeat, whimsical feel – perfect for a confectionary brand.
So whilst the different language versions might not follow the exact same wording, the overall positive feel is the same. For the most part, the underlying idea that Haribo sweets are a suitable treat for all ages is kept too. The essence of the German original has been faithfully portrayed, and that’s the key here.
Walking a tightrope between two linguistic and cultural groups, linguists first and foremost need to ascertain how to convey the meaning and feeling of the original text. As shown with the Haribo slogan, they need to play with aspects such as syllable count, rhythm and rhyme. Besides calling for linguistic finesse, creativity and cultural awareness, this can sometimes require translators to produce something far removed from the original version.
Get in touch
At First Edition Translations, we know just how important it is to get your messaging right across all markets. If you’re looking to expand your international outreach, our multilingual project management team is happy to help under enquiries@firstedit.co.uk