If you’re in a business that’s heading into a new territory or has a requirement to engage with a new audience in another language, there’s a lot to consider. There are all sorts of content that you’ll need to localize.
Some of it’s boring and builds your administrative, legal, and operating side of the business, and some of it’s been crafted by creative individuals to market your company to your audience.
As a Language Services Provider (LSP), we’re aware of what a big undertaking this can be for our clients and how many different facets there are to successful localization.
A question that we bring to the table early in the process is what needs to be translated and what needs to be transcreated.
After we’ve established what content falls into each category, the question we’re usually asked is how much will it cost?
In this article, we’ll look at the factors that are taken into consideration when budgeting transcreation projects.
But first, let’s quickly look at….
Transcreation is the translation of creative marketing and advertising material so that the end translation is faithful to the meaning of the original message, with cultural considerations, even if isn’t a direct translation.
It’s often used for product slogans and other copy that a word for word translation wouldn’t do justice.
Transcreation should never be paid for by the word. It’s far too important for that. Imagine Nike paying $1.50 to have “Just Do It” translated into another language.
The tagline is too iconic and important to their brand for a linguist to spend 30 seconds on it. The intent of what has become one of the best-known brand lines in the world has to come through in the new language.
So, you can pay by the hour, but it’ll be based on the hours worked on making sure the right meaning is conveyed and exploring all the possibilities.
Paying by the project means your LSP will consider everything ahead of time and commit to a rate.
As long as you don't change the project scope, you know that line item won't change on your budget, and your localization project will remain financially on track.
It's a safer option to pay by the project as the variables are considered and the rate agreed upon at the beginning of the project rather than being argued about at the end.
Certain languages are more expensive to translate than others because of rarity, character set, number of varieties, and other factors. The harder a language is to translate, the more of a premium that linguists can demand.
Transcreation is no different.
Even though over 300 million people speak Arabic, accurate translation to and from English is difficult, so it requires the skills of an expert.
No different to a lot of other areas of business that require the help of a creative partner – if you want something done quickly, you’ll often have to pay more.
Suppliers will have to juggle their roster of internal staff and freelancers to make room for your transcreation requirements.
They may have to bring in people to work evenings or weekends to stay on schedule, all of which has knock-on cost implications.
So, the sooner you can scope your transcreation requirements with the help of your LSP, the better for your budget.
Of course, you could always hire a marketing agency in the country you’re entering and get them to develop a campaign from scratch. No transcreation is required. No transcreation, but considerable time and expense needed to find the right agency and bring them up to speed.
And there’s a good chance you’d need interpretation services to properly speak to the various team members.
Not to mention the fact that there’s a reason why your brand is what it is. Your slogan is what it is. Your tone of voice is what it is. Your marketing and advertising material is created the way it is.
There’s an important reason why you’re looking for consistency, with cultural adaptation, across all the markets you enter. Nike accepts authentic versions of “Just Do It” that are localized to other markets.
They resonate the sentiment that with Nike gear, you can get out there right now and tackle whatever you want. But they’d never create a new slogan from scratch in Nairobi, the Netherlands, or Nicaragua and dilute their global retail strength.
All these elements – languages, timescales, amount of material needed to be transcreated – contribute to the project budget. If you have it as part of your initial project scope, you can agree with your LSP partner ahead of time, and the budget won't be wasted on translating something that needs transcreation first.
Lean on your LSP, that’s what they’re there for and they’ll help you move into new markets.
Embarking on a transcreation project can be daunting, but with LinguaLinx by your side, you can be confident in achieving effective and culturally resonant communication. Our team is ready to assist you in navigating the complexities of entering new markets while maintaining the integrity of your brand message.
Let's discuss your specific requirements and explore how we can tailor our services to meet your needs. With over two decades of experience and certifications like ISO 17100 and ISO 9001, we pride ourselves on delivering excellence in every project.
Reach out for a free consultation today. There’s no obligation, just an opportunity to see how our expertise can support your global growth.
At LinguaLinx, your message is our mission, and we're here to ensure it resonates worldwide.