Speaker 1: Hello and welcome to this Argos multilingual webcast. In this first of three webcasts, we'll look at the different types of marketing content, and what localization decisions you need to think about when translating marketing content, and how Argos can help you take your brand global. The key to a successful business is understanding your customers. When seeking global expansion, all businesses are faced with the same prevailing question. How can we successfully enter and position our business, our brand, and our products in this new market? It's this question that has meant more and more businesses are seeking more than just translation when taking their brands across borders. Businesses need their brand to evoke similar reactions and emotions with target customers abroad as they do at home. A translation often won't resonate with potential customers because figurative language or imagery will often have a different nuance depending on the market. Luckily, there are a number of strategies which businesses can employ to make sure their message doesn't get lost in translation, depending on a business' material. The term localization is often used interchangeably and incorrectly with translation, but really localization is a more involved process. It's the process of adapting all types of documents, materials, software, multimedia, and websites to target a particular culture or language. Localization adapts the message, images, and graphics in order to communicate with the chosen target audience. Here we'll take a look at an example of localization. One of the most popular brands with a strong global presence, Coca-Cola, implements localization across their products and services to suit every country they target. On the left-hand side is the Italian version of the website, and on the right-hand side is the Hong Kong version. When comparing the two, it's clear that for both sites, elements characteristic of the culture were used. Asian-style icons were used for the WeChat on the Hong Kong site, and the checkered table cloth for the Italian site. Localization is the process of transforming the key message so that it's understood in the target market, when taking into consideration cultural differences, figurative language, and other nuances. The text itself may change, but the key message is preserved, and it still evokes the same reaction and emotions as the source text. Transcreation can simply be described as a combination of translation and copywriting all wrapped up into one. For a clearer understanding of transcreation, here's an example from McDonald's, who sought transcreation when expanding to Chinese markets because their slogan, I'm lovin' it, contains the word love. In Chinese culture, the word love is not used lightly. This word also posed a problem in other markets, and for each market the slogan was transcreated to be more appropriate for each market and its culture. As more and more brands and businesses are opting for transcreation to minimize the risk of having their message literally translated, being aware of the cultural implications that can arise from translation can save businesses from embarrassment and failure when launching in other markets. As the name suggests, creative copywriting really isn't translation at all. It's a creative process based on a creative brief, in which a copywriter builds tailored content and messaging based on a careful profiling of in-market customer needs. The process matches the process advertising agencies use when creating a campaign in a source language. It's a very involved process, and one designed to target your potential customers very carefully. For marketing materials, Argos uses resources who specialize in localizing marketing materials. Sounds simple, right? Because each client's style is likely to be subjective, we also encourage client participation at various points in the marketing localization process. For example, we'll submit two to three blind samples for the client to evaluate as standard. The client's in-country reviewers can then provide Argos with comments on the supplied samples before we select a team of writers. After choices are made, we work together to fine-tune the tone and style of deliverables to match the target market's expectations. Localization kits, which include marketing style guides and terminology glossaries, become the basis for high-quality marketing output going forward, along with translation memory management. In addition to using robust localization kits, we encourage in-country review of all marketing content. We supply clients' in-country reviewers with training, either via conference call or in-person, so that expectations around their contribution are clear. We also supply them with tools which they will need to review the content efficiently and explain how this software should be used. For example, we'll normally recommend the use of Argos Global Review, an online review tool which streamlines the in-country review process and ensures that in-country review comments and changes are captured automatically for future projects. What's more, we understand that conceptual and creative brand elements simply don't translate word-for-word. Where transcreation is required, we take this a step further. In addition to the localization kit, including approved linguistic assets such as terminology databases and style guides, we'll work with our clients to create a creative brief for the product or campaign. This way, we can capture your conceptual brand ideas and ensure that they can be transcreated for the intended markets around the world. Thank you for watching our webcast. For more information on how we can help your business to grow, visit us at www.argosmultilingual.com.