Excerpt from:  Translation, Localization and Interpretation
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August 10, 2007

Advertising Differs from Culture to Culture

Even between British and American advertisements, cultural differences are apparent.

When communicating to an international audience, companies need to take into all kinds of cultural factors. In advertising, for example, it is not enough to simply translate advertising copy. The advertisement must be adapted to the expectations and habits of the target consumers.

In a post on Fast Company.com, Saabira Chaudhuri points out some of the cultural differences in TV advertising across the globe. According to Chaudhuri, British commercials are low-key and rely on humor to get their message across, whereas American commercials are bent on proving a product’s merits and remain quite straightforward. Indian TV ads, on the other hand, are exuberant and often rely on movie and sports stars.

Company websites present many similarities to advertisements in that their objective is to promote a firm and its products. That’s why the cultural context cannot be ignored in business communications, whether on company websites or in advertising campaigns.

Language Translation Inc. has provided language services in the USA and abroad for over 17 years and is ready to help your company meet the increasing demand for multilingual software, websites and advertising. We specialize in localization, a complex process which will assure that your company’s message is appropriately conveyed, both culturally and linguistically, to your target audience. “We speak your language – and theirs.”

Betty Carlson

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