Lost in translation

July 2010

Following the introduction of the feed-in tariffs in April 2010, many European companies operating in the renewable energy sector want to promote their brands in the UK. But moving to another country is not as simple as you may think, and many high-profile companies have struggled to communicate their brand values in new markets.

So how well does your brand translate?

To help you avoid potential problems, here are some tips to help ensure that your brand resonates with the local market.

What’s in a brand name?

It’s important to check how well your brand translates, as certain words may carry different associations in other languages.

When launching its new curling iron called "Mist Stick", Clairol ran into problems in Germany where it means “manure stick”.

Writing an entire slogan can be fraught with danger. Not only do you have to ensure that the words translate correctly, you have to make sure it makes grammatical sense, and ensure the concept as a whole has survived the migration.

When Orange launched its slogan – “The future’s bright...the future’s Orange” – Catholics in Northern Ireland were not impressed. To them the term “Orange” suggests the “Orange Order”, meaning the slogan meant: “The future’s bright...the future’s Protestant, loyalist.”

Volkswagen named the sedan version of its Golf “Jetta”. However, they failed to realise that the letter "J" doesn't exist in the Italian alphabet, so it was pronounced "Ietta", which means “misfortune”.

There are many more examples of brand names making big marketing blunders when taking their products to new markets. There are also lots of examples of businesses who have lost the meaning of their messages in translation, whether producing event banners, web copy or press material.

Getting it right

Before you even consider producing content, you should review your messaging. Will the messages that have worked for you in your home market appeal to a UK audience? You may be more successful promoting a different set of benefits. You can find out what works by using trial and error, or you can research the market before you launch your product.

Once you have fine-tuned your messages, you need to find the right words to get them across. There’s more to writing great marketing copy than making it grammatically correct. Your writing should be persuasive and easy to understand – especially when explaining complex technology. You may want to reflect your brand in the writing style. We recommend following our ‘five Cs’ guidelines for the best results.

How to avoid making the same mistakes

Understanding the intricacies of language and culture is difficult unless you’re native to a country. Therefore when launching your brand in a new country, it’s best to employ the help of local agency who can help you translate your messages, avoid embarrassment, and achieve your business results.

If you’re moving to the UK and need help translating your brand, why not contact us? We’d love to hear from you.

 

Back to stuff