Translator of advertising texts: Jack of all trades, master of none
Advertising texts encompass a wide range of materials with the purpose of creating a favorable impression about a product/service/brand and, ideally, motivating people to make a purchase. This includes product/service descriptions on the manufacturer's website, advertising articles in media, and scripts for audio and video commercials. Even product labels typically go beyond dry package content descriptions and highlight its advantages. The text on packaging also "sells" the product, as many decisions to purchase are made while browsing in supermarkets.
Understanding the purpose of advertising text is crucial for a meaningful translation. The final translated text should serve the same purpose as the original - to foster a positive attitude towards the advertised product. A direct translation may not always achieve this goal. Hence, a translator must grasp the specifics of advertising texts.
When translating advertising, the text is not only transferred into another language but also into another culture. As creating a favorable impression and building loyalty are vital in advertising, cultural peculiarities of the target audience must be taken into account. The cost of errors is high - it can lead to the opposite effect. Therefore, the translation of advertising requires someone well-acquainted with the culture of the target audience and its contemporary realities. Humor may be used in advertising, but humor varies across cultures. The translator needs to comprehend the humor in the original and adapt it appropriately in the translation. Thus, an advertising translator also acts as a localizer.
Since a direct translation may not always be suitable, the translator often needs to act creatively. This is particularly evident in slogans. A slogan is a brief and clear phrase that consolidates all the advantages of the advertised product. It should be memorable. The translated slogan must naturally meet all the above-mentioned conditions. It is not always possible to maintain the same brevity and conciseness as the original slogan when translating directly. Clients may impose additional conditions, such as preserving rhyming in the translation (as in the original). In such cases, the translator relies on their creative flair. Creative thinking is one of the crucial skills for an advertising translator. Sometimes, the source language slogan and the translation have little in common. Of course, such decisions are made in agreement with the client. Thus, an advertising translator is also an advertising creative.
As advertising translation demands the combination of multiple competencies, this work should not be undervalued. Especially considering that the cost of errors due to poor translation is significant. At the very least, the client may waste money without getting returns on their translated advertising. At most, the client may face negative attitudes towards the product.
An advertising translator is not obliged to study the fundamentals of advertising, but doing so can be advantageous. Knowledge of advertising principles and techniques increases the translator's chances of producing a high-quality translation when creative work is involved. In the future, the translator can specialize in advertising translation, using their knowledge and skills in the advertising field as an advantage when offering services to employers. The acquired knowledge in this area can become a basis for requesting higher compensation for their work. An additional benefit is that the translator can use this acquired knowledge for self-promotion (if working independently).
