The Challenges of Translating Seasonal Marketing Campaigns
The holiday season is a peak time for brands to connect with their audiences, and nothing captures the festive spirit like a well-crafted marketing campaign. But translating seasonal campaigns across languages and cultures comes with unique challenges. It’s not just about swapping words—it’s about understanding cultural nuances, preserving the intended message, and adapting the content for local audiences while retaining its festive charm.
The Complexity of Seasonal Translations
Translating seasonal marketing materials can be tricky because of several factors:
- Cultural Sensitivity
What resonates in one culture might not in another. For example, a campaign referencing snow and Christmas trees might feel out of place in a tropical region where the holidays look very different. Translators must adapt the message to reflect local traditions and values while maintaining a festive tone.
- Untranslatable Phrases
Holiday taglines and idioms often don’t have direct translations. For example, the English phrase “ringing in the holidays” might lose its meaning in a language where bells don’t symbolise celebration. In such cases, translators need to localise the phrase creatively.
- Visual Elements and Design
Imagery and design also play a big role. For instance, using red and green colours works well for Western Christmas campaigns, but in China, red is often associated with the Lunar New Year, and green might symbolise something completely different.
- Timing and Local Holidays
The timing of campaigns matters. While Christmas is celebrated on December 25 in many countries, Orthodox Christmas falls in January. Localising campaigns means respecting these differences in timing and tailoring the message accordingly.
Localisation Strategies for Success
Here’s how skilled translators and marketers approach the challenges of translating holiday campaigns:
- Research the Target Market
Understanding the target audience’s culture, traditions, and sensitivities is the first step. This research helps ensure that the campaign aligns with local customs and preferences.
- Adapt, Don’t Translate
Literal translation rarely works for marketing. Instead, brands often adapt the message to capture the original sentiment in a way that feels authentic to the local audience. This approach is known as “transcreation.”
- Collaborate Across Teams
Translators work closely with local marketing teams to refine the campaign. This ensures that both the language and visuals align with cultural expectations.
- Test the Campaign Locally
Before launching a campaign, brands often test it with focus groups in the target market. This step helps identify any potential cultural missteps or areas for improvement.
Successful Examples of Translated Holiday Campaigns
- Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola’s “Holidays are Coming” campaign has been adapted for markets worldwide. In each region, the ads incorporate local traditions and celebrations while keeping the iconic red truck and holiday music.
- Starbucks
Starbucks’ holiday cups feature designs tailored to specific markets. While the core festive message is consistent, the imagery reflects the unique flavours and preferences of different regions.
- IKEA
IKEA often incorporates localised holiday traditions into its seasonal catalogues. In Scandinavia, the catalogue highlights cosy Christmas decor, while in warmer climates, it focuses on outdoor gatherings.
However, things can go wrong. Here are three examples of mistakes made by brands when attempting to translate or localise seasonal marketing campaigns:
- Pepsi’s “Come Alive” Campaign in Taiwan
In the late 1960s, Pepsi launched a campaign with the tagline “Come Alive with the Pepsi Generation.” While the English message was meant to be energetic and uplifting, the translation into Mandarin for the Taiwanese market turned into a major cultural blunder. The phrase was translated to imply, “Pepsi will bring your ancestors back from the dead.” This not only misrepresented the product but also clashed with deeply held cultural beliefs about honouring ancestors.
Remember: Literal translations can lead to unintended and offensive meanings. Brands must ensure taglines are culturally appropriate and carry the intended sentiment.
- Coors Light’s Slogan in Spain
Coors, an American beer company, once used the slogan “Turn It Loose” to convey a carefree, relaxed attitude. However, when the campaign was launched in Spain, the phrase was mistranslated into a slogan that essentially meant “Suffer from diarrhoea.” This humorous but unfortunate error made the brand a laughingstock in the region, and the campaign flopped.
Remember: Words with double meanings or idiomatic expressions in one language may not translate well into another. Localisation experts are crucial in identifying and adapting such phrases.
- IKEA’s Product Naming in Thailand
IKEA, the global furniture retailer, faced an embarrassing localisation issue in Thailand. Some of their product names, which were harmless in Swedish, had unfortunate meanings in Thai. For example, one product name closely resembled a local slang word with inappropriate connotations. This led to confusion and discomfort for Thai customers, forcing the company to rename some items.
Remember: Cultural research is essential, even for elements as seemingly simple as product names. What works in one culture might have unintended meanings in another.
Final Thoughts
Translating seasonal marketing campaigns is both an art and a science. It requires linguistic expertise, cultural understanding, and creative problem-solving to ensure the campaign resonates with diverse audiences. For businesses, getting it right can create a sense of global connection and bring holiday cheer to customers worldwide.
At Lingonika, we specialise in helping brands navigate these challenges and create multilingual campaigns that captivate audiences across the globe. Let us help you make your holiday campaigns truly universal!