Does Localisation Only Imply Translation?
Introduction
And then one fine day… “India’s largest online store” became your “Apni Dukan”. A literal translation of the tagline (that would have read “India ka sabse bada online store/dukan) wouldn’t have had so many of us warming up to Amazon’s brilliant endeavor to embolden customers. That’s what localization is all about- it’s not about rendering taglines or copies in their exact translated versions but aligning with the cultural, historical, social, and even emotional specificities of the target market. The importance of proper localization in redefining brand identities cannot be overemphasized. I guess it’s a great example of cultural competence.
To make content meaningful and relevant to the target language and culture, localization employs a variety of strategies. The translation is one aspect of localization, but it goes beyond that in a number of ways. By speaking their languages and conveying your intended message to their local markets, we can help you build genuine connections with your audiences.
Ultimately, the Localization of your website or app is a wise move. However, if you’re going to do it, it should be executed properly.
Localization: Adhering to Cultural and Social Sensitivity
Coming back to complying with the cultural sensitivity, it’s immensely important for brands to acknowledge that planning a new campaign can be trickier than what it seems. As they say, no two brand experiences are similar. In fact, the same campaign may be perceived differently by two different people as well. What may seem culturally insignificant to some may seem insensitive to someone else.
Remember what happened when the Scandinavian brand Electrolux tried to promote its vacuum cleaners in the USA? Their tagline “Nothing sucks like Electrolux” backfired miserably. “It sucks”, unfortunately, has a very different connotation in the US.
PepsiCo India’s ad showing a young boy serving drinks to the Indian team drew major flak. In fact, the company was sued for glamorizing child labor. Cultural and social references should be dealt with due sagacity. Appreciating, researching, and maintaining sensitivity is key. Translating idioms, slang and other phraseological constructs might have serious ramifications if they aren’t backed by stringent demographic research. Images, taglines, and content likely to be considered even remotely insensitive, that’s a clear case of poor research.
Localization: Acing Multilingual Barriers
A daunting prospect — no doubt! Rolling out a multilingual content strategy might seem like sticking your fingers in too many pies. It’s easy to stray from your core brand message in your constant efforts towards adapting to the diverse tastes and preferences of regions or countries. The key is not to target an entire country but the right people in a country! Look how Rolex gained ground in a country like Argentina! They knew that they would enjoy limited appeal in countries with lower purchasing power but that clearly didn’t stop them from exploring the markets in the first place! Staying true to its image, the brand unambiguously stuck to the opulent, wherever they went.
Besides sticking to your core message, make sure you’re using the right content management software for seamless coordination with your marketing specialists, research team, project managers, developers, translators, and sales staff. You might as well have your teams spread across different countries or regions. Investing in an integrated software management program will help you stay organized. In this article, we will focus on parts that are beyond translation…everything starting from colors to logos should reflect this assiduousness from your end.
Things to consider apart from translation
Starting with design ideas
In Germany, when Ford launched Ford Probe, they had little idea that in that country Probe translates to “test”- so Germans actually thought that they would be buying test cars instead of the ones that are ready for the road.
Photos, Images, and Other Media
When you think about localizing your website, you have to think about all these media assets. Having all the text on a page translated but a large infographic untranslated is jarring to visitors of your website. The same goes for videos and screenshots. If someone lands on your site and tries to watch the video at the top of the page only to see it’s not in their language or subtitled, the visitor will leave with a bad first impression. Visual media has no bar of language, so for making the user relatable it’s the best way to make use of it and connect with them. You’ll need to adjust your visuals to fit the local culture. Blonde mothers hugging their children are unlikely to charm a Chinese audience, and may even annoy Middle Eastern clients.
Example: The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) raises awareness by providing direct access to recent studies, reports, news, dialogues, and campaigns related to their conservation. In India, it will raise awareness for Tiger land, while in the United States, it will raise awareness for Rhino poaching, using localized images and media.
Colors
Depending on the intended audience, different colors have different connotations. In certain cultures, white is used for grief, and in some black. Before creating your website, do your research, especially if you’re targeting new consumers. Likewise, the meaning of colors may vary across locations as well. Blue remains the safest color since it has positive associations across the world. Red in China, for instance, represents happiness. Yellow, though mostly associated with brightness and optimism, it is likened to cowardice across several Western cultures.
Layout
Some languages use more room to explain the same ideas than others. You’ll need to devise a versatile layout that accommodates text of various lengths. For instance, Cantonese or mandarin has more vertical layout approval rather than the landscape one.
Example: Starbucks for European countries has a large hero header and traditional kind of website, but for Japan it has more vertical layout. That’s how it’s preferred in China and Japan.
Formatting of dates and numbers
This is normally addressed during the internationalization phase. But if your material contains numbers or dates, make sure you use the correct style for different languages.
Units of Measurement
The metric system is used in the majority of countries. To make information easier to follow and understand, you’ll need to change units of measurement.
Currencies
When it comes to purchasing selections, price is crucial. If your customers must deal with numbers in order to determine the true cost, they will abandon your website and seek out a local source.
Links to social media sites
These can vary substantially depending on the country. Including relevant links can help to make the experience more personal.
Testimonials
Compile a collection of case studies from clients in various nations. Showing an international mix shows potential clients that you have worked with various countries and especially adhere to the local market you are targeting.
Example: McKinney has different case study for US or European market on their home page and different for Indian market which are more relatable to their target audience.
Final words
Localization, as can be clearly understood now, transcends the mere confines of translation and does cater to local beliefs, sensitivity, and ethos, and much more…
