Can the perception of global brands vary dramatically across different cultures? You betcha! Once again, China proves that it is not a homogeneous part of the global marketplace. Which car brand has the most cachet in China? Well, according to a recent article in the New York Times, unless you are a retired pensioner, it [...]
Global Transcreation Blog
The ins and outs of global marketing communications – in a digital age
Global SEM Blog
- 2012 Online Markets to Watch: QatarQatar has taken the reins from areas such as UAE (particularly Dubai) and continued the Arabic world’s rapid development online. Although Qatar has a relatively small population of only 1.8 million, they are fast shaping the online world with internet penetration rates increasing by 500% over the past ten years. With natural resources, an educated […]
Browsing Posts in Cultural sensitivity
Over recent months there has been a rush by translation companies to jump on to the ‘Transcreation bandwagon’ and even a few blog posts calling it a new service or just dubious sales-speak. But surely the question of when to transcreate versus translate is really more about what level of customer service do we want to deliver in which country or target audience?
I am fortunate to have spent the past week or so on holiday near Syracuse, on the eastern coast of Sicily. The weather has been very changeable, but far from chilly. What is staggering is that along with the sun, sea, sand and tourists, you are surrounded, everywhere you turn, by ancient history. The evidence [...]
I don’t know whether to laugh or cry. Just how cheesy is this? I received an email on Tuesday 5 May from a British company called Corpdata aiming to sell me B2B marketing lists with the headline: “Accurate data killed Osama bin Laden (helped by US Special Forces)”. A tenuous link at best and definitely [...]
Throughout history, many Mediterranean countries have gained a reputation for unnecessary and convoluted bureaucracy – much to the chagrin of the naive and vulnerable foreigner. However, if you thought that all the ‘locals’ are happy and willing to participate in the form filling, jobs-for-the-indolent game you would be wrong. Countries like Russia and China are [...]
Maybe this article is more transgender than transcreation, but then it is international women’s day today. At Wordbank we have been tweeting since yesterday on how to congratulate the ladies in your life in the relevant local language. As many readers will know, today in Russia is a day of flowers, presents and congratulations to [...]
Well, it’s nearly Christmas again. Or is it? Yes, if you live in North America, Oz, Kiwi-land or the UK and bits of Western Europe it is, but outside of that it all goes to Greenland in a handcart. Strictly speaking, of course, Christmas does not exist for the majority of the world’s population, but [...]
If you have not heard the already infamous James Naughtie (the ‘augh’ pronounced as in the Scottish ‘loch‘ or Irish ‘lough‘ rather than as in ‘laugh‘) spoonerism on YouTube yet, I suggest you have a listen now: Actually, once you hear it you may wonder what all the fuss is about as it is so [...]
In case you didn’t know, ‘video’ is the new ‘copy’. Sweaty, dishevelled journos hacking out hot words on a satellite terminal and posting incisive articles from the front line of breaking news is boring and old hat. As the updated version of the quote goes, ” A picture speaks a thousand words, but video says [...]
Hot off the press today in the (English Language) Moscow Times: words such as “sale”, “discount” and “free Wi-Fi”, which regularly appear in advertisements and signage in Moscow, are breaking the law. According to the Moscow Times, “The Federal Anti-Monopoly Service is planning to expand a crackdown on advertising using foreign words, with initial hearings in [...]
