Retail and consumer goods is a fast moving marketplace. In the United States alone, in the first quarter of 2024, the U.S. Census Bureau reported that retail sales were at $1.8 trillion.
Being first to market in new territories globally, or in new languages locally (13% of the U.S. population speaks Spanish at home according to Forbes), can be the difference between being the go-to brand for consumers, or just an afterthought.
No pressure then to get your localization strategy right. There's no pressure to get all your product packaging, user guides, websites, advertising, and marketing correctly translated so you’re on your front foot.
We know just thinking about going through this process can cause severe anxiety. As a Language Services Provider (LSP), we help walk our clients through this process all the time.
So, how do you get your material ready for translation? Well, here are the main things you should consider when prepping for translations in the crucial field of retail and consumer goods.
Top Considerations for Retail Translations
Prepare for all Types of Source Content
Words are just one part of the translation equation. In today's digital consumer-facing world, they rarely rely on others to tell the whole story and sell a product.
All forms of content need to be considered for a new language market. This includes:
Imagery
If you’re heading into Khartoum, Sudan, then maybe your website imagery needs to be updated so it’s not all from major US cities. That’s hardly going to make your audience feel like you understand them.
Or maybe you’re going into a Muslim region where you’d have to make sure that any imagery is appropriate to their customs on showing skin? The more your imagery reflects the world of the user, the more you’re demonstrating that your brand cares about their culture.
Video
Video will need to be adapted to the new language. Is it best to use sub-titles, voice over, redub the lines with actors that speak in the target language or reshoot the content completely?
There’s pros and cons for each method. Reshooting is expensive (but shows you care and could be most accurate) and sub-titles can be done fairly inexpensively (but if your work force has literacy difficulties the message could be ineffective).
Audio
This requires similar considerations to video. Do you use voice over, redub lines or recreate everything from scratch?
Each of the options has a different price tag which could well determine the route forward.
Use Translators with Industry Experience
Every industry has its own terminology, acronyms and jargon. Your chosen LSP should use translators who not only have an understanding of the target language and culture but are also subject matter experts in your industry.
Think about it…how language is used in retail and consumer goods varies dramatically from the world of legal or finance. The best people for your project have worked in your industry.
Tech Should be Part of the Solution
Artificial Intelligence (AI) powered Machine Translation (MT) can help you save time and money by working for you 24/7 to do a lot of the translation heavy lifting.
After MT has done its first pass at the content, your LSP can focus human resources on refining or post editing, the translated content so it’s completely accurate.
Know when You need Transcreation
In retail and consumer goods there’s a lot of blood, sweat, tears and, more importantly, money put into building strategies, hooks and slogans that will help you win the attention battle with the public.
Transcreation is the art of translating the essence and meaning of creative advertising and marketing material so that, while it may not be a direct translation, it’s culturally contextual and relevant to the new audience.
You don’t always want a direct translation. Just ask American Airlines who were so excited about their all-leather seats that they forgot to transcreate their “Fly in Leather” slogan for the Spanish speaking Mexican market and settled for the direct translation of “Vuela en Cuero” or “Fly Naked”.
Understand Your Exact Market. Localize
Language is one thing, but really you want to understand the country, community and culture you’re heading into. You want to take a localization approach. With the right strategy, especially in the B2C field, you can shed your “outsider” status quickly and become a seamless part of your customers lives.
For example, if you’re expanding into Indonesia, is it the whole country or just a region? It’s the second most linguistically diverse country in the world, with over 700 languages spoken.
Which ones will you need to focus on, or are you okay with just Indonesian, the national language? It’s also home to six religions spread over 17,508 islands…who do you want to talk to and how?
Partner with the Right LSP for You
Not every LSP will be the right fit with your business. Their process might not fit with the speed you require, or draw too much on your own company’s time and resources, or simply their ethics and values might not align with yours.
This is an important partnership that will go far beyond translating material. It can be a sounding board for your business plans in new territories, coming to you with insights and advice on how to make the most of your expansion plans.
Be Ready For Any Language
Your LSP should be looking to the future with you and building linguistic assets, such as term bases and glossaries, so your investment now saves you money down the line on other translation activity.
Breaking into new territories doesn’t have to be a daunting prospect, even in the high-stakes retail world.
With the right LSP who can deal with all your forms of content under one roof, bring in the right team of translators and transcreators, and help you localize and use technology to your advantage, you'll be well on the way to success in any language in any territory.
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Navigating the fast-paced world of retail and consumer goods requires precision and cultural sensitivity. If you have a translation project on the horizon, let's discuss how LinguaLinx can support your goals.
We offer free consultations with no obligation, ensuring you have all the information you need to make an informed decision.
At LinguaLinx, we ensure your message remains clear and impactful across all languages. Our commitment to quality is backed by our ISO 17100 and ISO 9001 certifications, over twenty years of industry experience, and the trust of leading global brands.
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