Pepsi’s “Come Alive with the Pepsi Generation” was translated into “Pepsi Brings Your Ancestors Back from the Grave” in Chinese.
You might find this boo-boo funny because they’re made by someone else, but for the company concerned, this is not a laughingstock. Aside from the embarrassment that they would suffer, this can also cost them a pretty penny or, worse, customers.
This scenario explains why a great deal of work goes into and beyond translation—to avoid public scrutiny, the product or service literature of companies must be well adapted to the sensitivities of their target demography.
Consider the number of files being translated every day to more than 100 language pairs worldwide. From literary content to legal, medical, technical, and regulatory documents, the number continuously grows because of companies tapping markets outside their domestic zones. Although the promise of expansion is sweet, reaching target customers in the right language and cultural context remains a tough challenge.
This is where localization, a field that Lexcode specializes in, comes into play. Considering the differences in distinct markets, localization personalizes a product or service to a particular language or culture so it meets the requirements of a specific target user. It involves a comprehensive study of the locale to tailor-fit something based on their native norms.
Today, localization has become a widely used strategy by companies like Lexcode in their endeavor to globalize. Take Starbucks as another example. Do you ever wonder about the popularity of this American coffee company in Asia? If you think about the enticing aroma and the authentic taste of its coffee products as the only reasons, think again. Considering the challenge of tapping the Asian market, which has a strong tea drinking culture, localization has become Starbucks’ recipe to success. As the coffee company began appealing to the local preferences of Asians (price, flavor options, and the customized setup of their stores), localization paved the way for it to become the largest coffee company in the world.
Because of this and other success stories, business firms now recognize localization and other language services as important business requirements to fulfill. What is more captivating is that comprehensive studies show the return on investment becoming higher for both business-to-business and business-to-consumer companies that localize their products or services to attract their target markets more intimately.
The same language need goes for various government sectors. To conduct effective foreign affairs services and trade programs, partnership with companies like Lexcode has become vital.
Indeed, localization has now become a powerful business tool that enables companies to give a local touch to their brands. This is what Lexcode has been providing for almost 15 years now to multinational companies and SMEs alike. Lexcode provides free consulting to firms without any experience in localization as well as support to other language service providers around the world. Whether you’re a marketing strategist for a big company or a startup entrepreneur, localization can help you achieve greater business results. Don’t hesitate to call Lexcode to ask how. Besides, what could be a better way to communicate to international customers than to speak their mother tongue?
