We do not only translate; we immerse, get inspired, think it through, and create supremely adapted content. Thereby, all our marketing translation team members remember every project created and every product described, as we are interested in the brand and its history, fill with its spirit, evaluate the target audience, put ourselves in the consumer’s shoes, and only then translate accordingly. Nevertheless, let’s start with the beginning!

Target Audience

First, we learn the target audience and product characteristics to define the style and lexicon:

• Kids and/or grown-ups
• The more friendly or official tone of voice
• Focus on women or men only (or gender-neutral approach)
• Use specific vocabulary, e.g., slang, industry words, adopted words, and different references

Stylistic Consistency

For each client, we keep a so-called “translation memory” that helps us maintain consistency in style and tone of voice, be aware of the context and even the undertone.

Specifics:

• Use epithets, comparisons, and repetitions to make an emphasis
• Replace NO-constructions to highlight the advantages (has no limits — unlimited)
• Consider cultural patterns
• Adapt idioms, fixed expressions, catchphrases, and even songs
• Implement elegant style for comprehension convenience, i.e., concise and straightforward

Terminological Coherence

To ensure terminological consistency, we use fixed translations, so either we use the client-provided glossary or compile one ourselves. This approach allows us to add new translators to the pool of a project with an established term base.

Adaptation of Names, Locations, Currencies

The products of a company that produces toys and games are often based on famous cartoons, cinematic universes, and TV shows. It is therefore important to comply with the official translations while referencing a character or location (Brite Bomber, Cuddle Team Leader, Applejack, White Ranger, Fable, Ghoul Trooper, Moon Palace), understand the ins and outs of the edition series described, or know the story twists (for example, in a particular context it is essential to translate Spidey as it is, not as Spider Man, so that fans could understand the reference to a comic book or a movie episode).

Board games are also interesting for localization in this segment, especially currencies (e.g., gold, kudos), cards, objects, tokens (Freeze, S.H.I.E.L.D. Legacy, Flag Smashers, Escape Artist), catchphrases (The world needs heroes, Go Go Power Rangers!), that must be translated to the context and brand’s specifics.

To provide the most suitable and creative options while translating the original text, we often use creative translation for fixed expressions, catchphrases, or even rhyme and indite songs. For example, we need to adapt the title “Ruff Luck” (formed from the idiom “Tough luck”) in the context of the PAW Patrol movie or even create a rhymed adaptation of a song of one of the rainbow ponies:

Let’s flash a new smile!

Let’s sparkle right out of the grey!

We’ll open our eyes,

Sun starting to rise.

Grammar and Punctuation

In marketing text, it is crucial to keep the connection with the consumer, i.e., the translation should not be congested with punctuation marks, while grammar should create a positive experience to the uttermost. So, there are a few points on the front burner:

• Active constructions and affirmations (passive constructions are perceived as less confident)
• Incentive sentences (literal translation of actionable steps may sound like a recommendation rather than a call to action)
• Elimination of indistinct words, i.e., “empty words, ” such as to ensure, to use, to experience, a process, etc. Word-to-word translation for the simple phrase enjoy the use can be easily made incentive and reasonable discover the advantages
• Use of capitalization according to the target language (inappropriate use of uppercase looks unpleasant rather than creative)
• Punctuation consistency (avoid using full stops in headers, special characters, and dull end punctuation in specific blocks)

Keywords and SEO Optimization

Keywords in marketing text serve for optimization and promotion. Things to remember when translating keywords:

• Keywords must be written in lowercase and separated with a comma; there must be no quotation marks or other symbols.
• If the same word appears multiple times, we need to use synonyms that will work with the exact context.
• If there is a misspelling in a source word, we do not correct it in target but adapt instead to optimize the search requests (for example, spiderman instead of Spider-Man, elza doll instead of Elsa doll etc.);
• Hashtag adaptation: requires us to immerse ourselves into the target environment completely and adapt the product as effectively as possible.

Why Kenaz?

At Kenaz, we know how to contribute to the world’s prosperity by word, not deed. Our translation will:

• Help your company to expand into a new market (you will be recognized everywhere in the world).
• Form a reverence for your brand (since you will be speaking the language of the target audience).
• Make your start-up or product recognizable and unique (you will become renowned faster than your shares will climb).
• Make the world a better place using a new technology (the one you have developed).
• Give hope to gain eternal youth and beauty (thanks to the wonderful products that you produce).
• Inspire to embrace sport (in a hoody with your company logo on it).
• Give you a dream, a desire to have it, hit a new peak, and be happy.