The objective of translation is to convey meaning from a source language into a target language, however, despite this common goal, not every translation is the same.

The translation of marketing texts is significantly different from, for instance, the translation of technical documentation, and in the case of marketing texts, translation is not merely a transfer of meaning from one language to another, but the bridging of cultural differences.

The emphasis in marketing texts is not only on what is communicated, but also on how the message is communicated, because that speaks volumes, not only about individuals, but also about entire companies.

It is quite logical that companies strive to develop and nurture their own character and style of communication with users. For example, the language used by a large software company differs from the language of a sports equipment manufacturer or a travel agency, and the next step is to achieve all of this in other languages too.

The target audience and the types of marketing texts

When translating marketing texts, in the same way as when they are created in the original language, it is also important to consider the type of text, which mostly depends on its purpose – what is expected of the text, for whom it is intended, etc.

Texts of this type can be intended for everyone, that is, for the general public, but in the case of some other texts, the target audience may include business partners, management, the professional public, employees within a company, existing or potential clients, small, medium or large businesses, etc.

Marketing texts, and therefore their translations, must take into account the interests, preferences, life styles, and possibilities of the group for which they are intended.

Depending on the purpose and target audience, marketing texts can be very diverse, regardless of the fact that they have a common goal – advertising. These include booklets, brochures, websites, texts on packaging, advertisements in all media, PDF and PPT presentations, advertising campaigns via email, e-books, press conferences, oral presentations, and all other promotional material.

This variety of texts also includes variations in style and language. In some, the focus is on the general presentation of a company and what it offers, while other texts focus on detailed information about specific business processes and the direct benefits for clients by describing the expected results, actual situations, and personal experiences.

Characteristics of translating marketing texts

Marketing translation is not merely a transfer of text from one language to another; it primarily involves the transfer of an appropriate marketing message to another language, and it is important that the texts match the preferences of the target audience. In this type of text, translators are often faced with the problem of finding the right words, resulting from cultural differences or lack of equivalents in the target language due to different degrees of development, or different social and economic systems in different countries. The translator who translates a text in the field of marketing must also consider the style.

Therefore, it is clear that not everyone can translate marketing texts. It is necessary to educate the translator for this type of translation; he/she needs to have an affinity towards this type of work and a talent for creative writing, as well as a knowledge of marketing, experience and excellent language skills in order to find the appropriate words, because it is not only quality that sells products and services, but also advertising, that is, exactly the right words.

However, marketing texts generally do not allow unlimited creativity. For this reason, many companies that care about how they will address their clients invest significant effort into building their own style and design style guides and instructions for use when composing and translating promotional texts.