International Names & Brands Translation

In today's growing marketplace, it is important to think globally, which means knowing the effect that cultural differences will have on how products and brands are received all over the world, by different classes of people. To establish different brand names in the international market, these must be communicated in globally understandable format. The translation and localization of the brand names and various international names is required to achieve this communication level. It is also necessary that the domain names for their brands are successful and secure in any language, when they are translated. It is here the translation service companies play a vital role. To be successful, you need your brand to speak directly to the locals and for this you need brand translation.


What is Brand Translation?
Brand Translation means looking at all aspects of a brand or international name, including text translation, typesetting, and images, to ensure the suitability of the brand to the target audience. Brand translation helps in communicating the actual message that reflects the unique business objectives in any language that is asked for. Brand translation adapt to local customs and consumer expectations. Translations need to be market and brand savvy and translators translate your message, your name, your brand to end-users around the world.

Elements of Brand Translation
There are two main elements of brand translation-verbal and visual-both impacts one another.

Verbal
It is not possible to understand another culture without understanding the language. Culture of one's country is embedded in language. Most people only understand their own language. Although English is known , spoken and understand by many, it cannot replace the local language or one's mother tongue. Hence international names and brand translation becomes very necessary in business and communications.

Visual
In commercial terms, the brand name for various products or services has a strong graphic component, which also occupies a dominating space on packaging. Moreover, the meaning of a word is always specific and hence an appropriate image or illustration is to be selected to denote the meaning. Brand translation visually implies that images used in packaging and printed media are usually translated to a form that is more recognizable to the target audience. For example, a product sold in the West will have a different image if the same product is sold in China.

Two Methods of Brand Translation
In international names and brands translations, two generic methods of brand name translation are used:

• Direct translation for the brand name's meaning and
• Phonetic translation for the brand name's pronunciation.

For an unknown brand, a phonetic translation is helpful, whereas for an existing strong brand name, it is better to retain the original name.

Importance of International Names and Brand Translation
In today's global marketplace, getting names right is very essential. Marketers, advertisers, brand managers are always concerned nowadays that their newly created name is not inappropriate in their target markets. It is to be noted that English product names often do not go well. For example, Electrolux, the Swedish white goods company, used the tagline "Nothing sucks like an Electrolux" which had a promising effect when promoting a vacuum cleaner across Europe but the same tagline did not work in US because 'sucks' means something is 'very bad' in America. Bad translations convey the wrong message. The cost of such bad translation can have a catastrophic effect on the position, image and value of the brand and, of course its owner. Bad brand names, bad products names, bad company titles, bad punch lines are not welcome in the globalized world and hence proper translation is necessary.