Capital Linguists
Capital Linguists’ Transcreation Services
“A transcreation service for when copy needs to work across cultures”
At Capital Linguists, we are a translation and interpreting agency offering first-class transcreation services to help our clients connect with audiences across the world.
Live Interpreters
Available by phone, video, or in person
Document Translation
Translate documents, books, or websites
A strong message should still feel strong when it reaches its destination. The problem, however, is that creative copy rarely sounds the same after being translated literally. While the general meaning might remain intact, the cultural allusions, tone, connotations, and subtle nods to shared reference points can all-too-quickly disappear, resulting in content that loses its ability to form connections and make an impact.
At Capital Linguists, we support global brands, agencies, and growing businesses with transcreation that is thoughtful in every way – from how it connects with its new audience, to what kind of impact it will have commercially. The result is copy that feels natural in-market, rather than copied over from somewhere else.
What Is Transcreation?
Transcreation is an art that uses aspects of translation, writing, and cultural adaptation to come up with new content that retains the idea behind the original, but makes it feel natural for the target audience.
Sometimes, this means tweaking a joke to match local preferences for humor, making a subtle reference more obvious (or vice versa), or incorporating relevant cultural references. These more subtle aspects of communication all have one thing in common: they help to forge an emotional connection between author and reader – and often, by extension, the brand and its audience.
When Do You Need
Transcreation Instead of Translation?
Transcreation is used when the content in question does more than simply inform.
For example, a medical document often has the primary aim of informing the patient’s new doctor of their medical history, including any conditions or treatment they’ve had.
The language used in this context is highly specific; its translation needs to include every detail, staying as close to the original as possible.
Marketing copy, meanwhile, serves a different purpose. It seeks to build a connection with potential new clients and persuade them to try out their product or service. In this context, applying the same approach as for the medical document would likely yield negative results. At best, it could leave the reader nonplussed, and at worst cause confusion and destroy brand trust.
How Our Transcreation Services
Support Communication
That’s where transcreation services come in. Capital Linguists’ specialists in transcreation understand both worlds – and not just from a linguistic perspective. They have the cultural understanding to take that original message and adapt it to meet the expectations of its new readers.
Let’s look at an example:
In France, marketing copy is often polished, with readers expecting a local approach and specific, France-based references, usually with a measured tone. If it’s an advertorial (common in France), you’ll find text-heavy pages and elaborate, almost poetic language.
Meanwhile, just over the border in Spain, there’s a clear preference for warmer, more expansive copy, as well as an appreciation for the odd joke. In Germany, audiences expect proof, claims that are supported by data and evidence. Any jokes are very specifically German and often lose their comedic effect when translated.
This means the marketing approach for the very same product or service cannot merely be translated. It needs a broader, more flexible, and creative approach that takes into account the way communication, behavior, and culture are in constant flux.
Transcreation
versus Localization
Many people are confused about whether they need transcreation or localization services. While the two are closely linked, there are important differences to consider.
Localization is primarily concerned with local fit. A localization project would tweak the details, often on a very pragmatic level such as date formats. For example, in the USA the usual way to express a date is MM/DD/YYYY. In the United Kingdom, however, this can be confusing as it is customary to start with the day (DD/MM/YYYY).
Transcreation goes one step further by focusing less on the exact wording of the source text and more on its message and overall effect. The transcreation specialist will then think about how to transmit this message from scratch, considering regional preferences and customs, as well as linguistic elements such as tone, register, use of humor and specific local references.
Why Choose Capital Linguists for Transcreation
Transcreation is an artform that demands mastery of both languages in question, and an in-depth understanding of both cultures, too. Our specialists have native-level fluency in each language alongside the necessary creative skills that allow them to craft brand-new content that sounds natural.
Our transcreation services include:
- Taglines and slogans
- Marketing campaigns
- Website copy and online content
- Product launch messaging
- Social media campaigns
- Email marketing content
- Brand awareness campaigns
- Video and audio scripts
- Packaging copy
- E-commerce descriptions
- Literary material and cultural projects.
Request a Quote
At Capital Linguists, we work with transcreation specialists operating in over 200 language pairs. We’re also proud
of our ISO-9001 and ISO 17100 certifications, which reflect the care and consistency you’ll see in all our work.
If you’d like to speak to us about your next project, feel free to
and we’ll call you right back.
We support all languages and collaborate with all sectors of industry.
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