Translation vs. Transcreation: The Key Strategy to Transform Your Campaigns

The success of a campaign depends on the ability to connect with your audience by creating powerful messages that resonate with consumers looking to make the best purchasing decisions.

With the Hispanic population representing 20% of the total population in the United States, understanding their needs and unique characteristics is essential. However, this goes far beyond simple literal translation. This is where transcreation becomes a challenge that can undoubtedly bring great opportunities.

The Art of Transcreation

If you’re familiar with digital marketing, you know that many brands have failed when trying to reach Hispanic audiences through simple translations. A literal translation can change the purpose of a campaign, causing it to go unnoticed or even damage the brand’s reputation.

Transcreation, however, involves transforming and adapting the message to be relevant and resonate with the target audience based on their cultural background. For example, a campaign designed for the American public differs from one designed for the Hispanic audience and must be culturally adapted to capture that audience’s attention. Reaching out to an American, a Mexican, or a Puerto Rican will require a different approach.

Translate vs. Transcreate: What’s the Difference?

Transcreation is about more than just translating words. It’s about ensuring the message gets across by adapting it to resonate emotionally and culturally, creating a deeper and more effective connection with the audience.

On the other hand, translation is about expressing the literal meaning of a text in another language, taking into account only the meaning of the words. Depending on the goals and nature of the campaign, both concepts are important techniques for developing an effective marketing campaign.

Keys to effective transcreation

  1. Understanding your audience’s culture is essential to effective campaign adaptation.
  2. Ensure the relevance of the message. Create and test a variety of messages to determine the winning version.
  3. Incorporate relevant elements that align with your audience’s values and experiences.
  4. Stay open and prepared to adjust strategies based on market feedback and changes.

For transcreation to be successful, it’s crucial to have a specialized team that understands the market’s language and culture. This expertise ensures campaigns that connect emotionally with audiences and drive higher conversions, making it a vital component of your marketing strategy.

At BOLD, we are committed to helping brands overcome these challenges and seize the Hispanic market’s opportunities. Our multicultural team works globally and acts locally, taking advantage of our deep understanding of the Hispanic market while immersed in the U.S. market.

Want to connect with the Hispanic market but need help figuring out where to start?

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