Transfer texts for advertising and marketing into the target language
In the case of brochures, flyers and newsletters, more than just the translation itself is often desired; instead, a transfer of the advertising message into the target language should take place.
There are different objectives:
Reusability of texts in multiple media
If the same texts can be found, for example, in a brochure, but also in a newsletter or on the website, then the use of a CAT tool is absolutely necessary. This is the only way to achieve cost-effective publishing in several media. But this also means: no changes in content, only the way of expression is adapted to the target country.
Specific adaptation of a document to the market situation in the target country
The document is completely adapted: content statements are adapted, if necessary, new photos/graphics are created, content is omitted, new content is added etc. This process is called transcreation (more information about Transcreation can be found further down). Since the texts in the target language differ from the texts in the source language, the use of a CAT tool is problematic. Automatic reusability in other media is only partially possible.
Translation of brochures, flyers, newsletters with CAT tools
PRODOC can translate InDesign files for brochures and flyers directly. This is highly convenient for us and saves time in the preparation and postprocessing of the files.
Ensure reusability
You can save costs for the foreign language layout through the use of a CAT tool.
Why? We will show that in the next section.
You can also use the contact form to make an appointment for a consultation
To the contact form
Dipl.-Ing. Stefan Weimar
Managing Director
Directly translate InDesign files for brochures and flyers
Today, brochures and flyers are mostly created in Adobe InDesign.
With our CAT tool memoQ we can process InDesign IDML files directly. You will then receive the finished translation as an InDesign IDML file.
Direct translation of IDML files has many advantages:
- The text is not converted into an exchange format such as Word
- The translation is available directly in InDesign: no errors with copy&paste from Word.
This is especially important for languages in which the graphic designer is not proficient., such as Russian, Chinese, Korean, etc. - The translation is preformatted: All texts are already assigned the correct paragraph and character formats.
These advantages mean real savings for you!
Here is a comparison of the costs with and without direct editing of the InDesign files of brochures/flyers.
For the example data shown above, 3 InDesign flyers with 6 pages each and 600 words of text each shall be translated into 4 languages.
In this example, we again assume that our translation is 50% more expensive than a comparative offer (similar to the examples for CAT tools or manuals/datasheets). However, we can process InDesign flyers directly, the other provider cannot.
The workflow matters
Request a quote for the translation of InDesign filesThe translation itself is only a fraction of the cost! Although you pay less to external service providers, you have significantly higher internal expenses.
Dipl.-Kffr. Sanne Jerxsen
Administrative director
Ensure reusability
The use of CAT tools guarantees reusability of texts and cost savings. Translations can only be reused if they reproduce exactly the same content sentence by sentence.
The following example illustrates the problem:
| Text 1 | Translation of text 1 | Text 2 | Task in CAT tool | Translation of text 2 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peter trifft Paul | Completely new text,
manual translation, stored in CAT tool |
Peter meets Paul | Karl trifft Klaus | German text is new -> manual translation | Karl meets Klaus |
| Beide haben sich lange nicht gesehen | Both have not met for a long time | Beide haben sich lange nicht gesehen | German text identical, taken from translation memory -> Translation correct |
Both have not met for a long time | |
| Er freut sich ihn zu sehen | Peter is happy to see Paul | Er freut sich ihn zu sehen | German text identical, taken from translation memory – > Translation wrong, because the contents of the 1st text were not translated 1:1 |
Peter is happy to see Paul |
So the translation of text 2 is:
Karl meets Klaus. Both have not met for a long time. Peter ist happy to see Paul.
And the third sentence is obviously wrong!
Deviations in content can lead to incorrect translations!
Even if the specification “Peter is happy to see Paul” makes the English text more understandable, such a translation is not permitted when using a CAT tool!
If you want to reuse translated advertising texts, you must be aware of this restriction – the translator has no freedom in the content of his work: the content of the source text must be reproduced 1:1 in the target language.
Remedy: segmentation by paragraphs for more freedom of content
You can also store entire paragraphs in the translation memory instead of individual sentences (= segmentation by paragraph). This increases the translator’s freedom of content, but reduces reusability. With this type of segmentation, transcreation is also possible to a certain extent:
- Texts can be translated more freely
- Content consistency applies only to the entire paragraph
- Individual source text sentences can be divided into several sentences in the target language
- Several source text sentences can be combined to one sentence in the target language
- The sequence of statements within a paragraph can differ from the source language
The workflow matters
The translation itself is only a fraction of the cost! Although you pay less to external service providers, you have significantly higher internal expenses.
We frequently request the translation of documents into 36 languages. PRODOC takes a lot of administrative work off our hands and delivers fully formatted documents in all 36 languages.
Even if transcreation is required: with the above-mentioned restrictions regarding reusability, the use of CAT tools is recommended in any case.
The translator usually does not have a version of InDesign and the translation must take place in another tool.
If this is a CAT tool, you get maximum cost efficiency, because no intermediate format is required – Copy&Paste is not necessary!
Preparation of flyers and brochures for the translation workflow
However, you can save even more costs by formatting your original brochures and flyers in InDesign in such a way that the effort for the final layout of the translated flyers and brochures is minimized.
In our article regarding InDesign we show what you need to look out for in order to minimize the postformatting effort for translated InDesign files.
Transcreation for marketing translations
Wikipedia defines transcreation as follows: “Transcreation is a term used chiefly by advertising and marketing professionals to refer to the process of adapting a message from one language to another, while maintaining its intent, style, tone, and context.”
Therefore, there must be close cooperation between the translator and the client and their subsidiary in the target country. Translators should be experienced in advertising copywriting in the target language and understand the source language perfectly.
The procedure is similar to the creation of the original advertising text:
- A briefing is held regarding the desired statement in the target country – this should involve the company headquarters as well as the customer’s subsidiary.
- Based on this briefing, the translator transfers the source text into the target language.
- This is followed by one or more rounds of proofreading involving the head office and the subsidiary. Here, the translator is also required to act as a “reverse translator”: in the case of major changes to the content, the head office should understand which path the subsidiary wants to take.
Based on this task description, it quickly becomes clear that transcreation can only be billed on an hourly basis.
Whether transcreation or “marketing translation”, the style of the translator must appeal to you and your subsidiary.
At PRODOC, we therefore always offer anonymous test translations of the same text by several translators at the beginning of a collaboration.
You choose the translator whose style you like best, and we guarantee that your translations will always be done by that translator.
Would you like us to find the right marketing translator for you?
Would you like us to find the right marketing translator for you?
Get in touch with us!
To the contact formDipl.-Kffr. Sanne Jerxsen
Administrative director