Nike’s Success with Chinese Translation Services

Nike, Inc., has been operating in China since 1981, and the country has played a crucial role in Nike’s growth. With the help of Chinese translation services, the Chinese market accounted for 18.6% of Nike’s global revenue, which reached 299 billion RMB (44.5 billion USD) in the same year of language service implementation.

 

Nike’s Use of Chinese Translation Services

Nike’s strategic localization efforts, long-standing presence, and successful consumer interaction in China have all contributed to the brand’s amazing success. Nike has interacted with Chinese consumers through a number of platforms with the aid of translation and localization services. For instance, Nike makes use of the WeChat mini-program in addition to its Tmall flagship store and official website, both of which underwent website localization. Given that WeChat is a widely-used messaging platform in China, Nike’s strategic use of marketing localization enables it to forge a close and personal connection with Chinese consumers.

 

Marketing Techniques And Nike’s Chinese Translation Services

Nike has steered traffic from its website and WeChat program to the Nike China App since its launch in 2019. Nike may offer clients individualized access to its items through this app, as well as special material like coaching advice and tailored services. Nike has modified its digital marketing localization techniques to successfully engage Chinese audiences as digital technologies become more and more popular.

 

Fostering Women’s Running Through Chinese Translation Services

Nike is aware of the expansion of women’s running, particularly in China, where the market for female Nike+ runners is growing more quickly than the market for male runners. As a result, Nike has concentrated on the appealing to the female consumer sector through marketing translation services. For instance, Nike introduced the Nike Run Club (NRC) and Nike Training Club (NTC) to offer complete running programming and professional coaching for female runners of all abilities.

Additionally, Nike created the Nike Women WeChat account, which works as a social network for female customers to advertise items and events. With the assistance of translation agencies, Nike China was able to implement its woman-based marketing strategy and strengthen the female fitness community by utilizing a broad array of digital platforms, such as NRC, NTC, the Nike App, and the Nike Women WeChat account.

Nike’s strategy for promoting women’s sports emphasizes female empowerment. They started the global “Better for It” campaign, which was localized in China under the slogan “Just for better (只为更赞)” with the aid of professional translation services. Nike worked with female influencers like actress Wang Luodan, who revealed her own experiences with fitness and the love-hate relationship many women have with working out, in order to connect with customers. Influencers on WeChat and Weibo encouraged women to strive for better by posting motivational training experiences and connecting with their target audience.

 

 

 

How Borrowed Words Changed International Translation Services

During its development, English borrowed several terms from a wide range of other languages. These loanwords have contributed to the growth and development of the English language, making it richer and more versatile. Those borrowed terms’ historical and cultural references have proven helpful for translators and interpreters when trying to determine the nuances of different words. This frequent sharing and borrowing of terms thanks to international translation services and language interpretation services raises the question of where these loanwords originated.

 

International Translation Services’ Adaptability

By investigating the history of loanwords, it is clear that language localization services benefit significantly from a more thorough understanding of the target language and culture. Marketing experiences can be tailored to specific regions through localization. Localizers might get insight into a culture’s values, beliefs, and customs by studying its loanwords.

Borrowed words are also a great way to improve the flow of conversation when learning a second language. Second-language learners are able to gain confidence when they can communicate thoughts and notions that may not have exact counterparts in their first language.

Finally, English has become more prosperous and more versatile due to its borrowing from other languages. The widespread usage of English makes it a huge advantage to know the language when traveling internationally. Easily recognizable terms from English often stand out as clues to help visitors find their way. These terms have made English richer and more nuanced by allowing it to communicate ideas and notions for which there are no exact linguistic counterparts. Furthermore, more English speakers have been able to converse with people from various cultural backgrounds because of English’s vocabulary similarities with other languages.

 

International Translation Services Across Time and Culture

The English language has been shaped by its history and culture. For instance, the Normans brought the French language to England during the 11th-century Norman Conquest, which significantly impacted the English language and explains the origins of many legal, political, and culinary terms such as “culinary” and “bon appétit.” In addition, many French words have English equivalents, making translation and interpretation into French seem easy. However, it is important to note that there is more to French translation services and French interpretation services than just professional wordplay.

The variety of foreign words incorporated into English is one of its most remarkable aspects. Many common phrases and nouns are translations from other languages. To illustrate this point, think of the word “avatar”, a term borrowed from Sanskrit to use as the title of both a film series and a television show, that refers to a digital or online version of oneself. The Japanese term “karaoke” is another example. Even though the two words are very similar on paper, Japanese translation services may have trouble accurately rendering the word “karaoke.” Similarly, mispronouncing the word might lead to severe difficulties for Japanese interpreting services.

 

Loanwords And The Development of Other Languages

The process of borrowing words from other languages is essential to the development of every language. The abundance of loanwords in the English language has contributed to its growth and development, making it more affluent, more versatile, and more subtle. English speakers can converse with individuals from many walks of life because, in part, of the fact that they can borrow terms from other languages. Understanding the history of loanwords is an excellent way for translators, interpreters, and localizers to get insight into different target languages and cultures. This is how professional localization services ensure the highest accuracy in their translations.

 

 

Understanding How to Make People Laugh With Localization Services

Humor can be a powerful tool that brings people together, but making people laugh across cultures can be challenging. Culture shapes our sense of humor and influences what we find funny, but different cultures have different values, beliefs, and communication styles that can affect how humor is perceived. Localization services offer a lens to help translate the experience and joy of humor without losing cultural meaning. Professionals who deal with language localization services need to navigate and explore humor across cultures and apply humor to bridge cultural divides and strengthen professional relationships.

 

Humor And Localization Services

According to some studies, humor is one of the most difficult cultural elements to translate. Different cultures have different humor styles, and what appears funny in one culture may not be as funny in another. For instance, in Japan, puns and wordplay are highly valued in humor. In Japanese translation services, translating the text alone will not convey the entire message. Accurate localization translation services are required to carry over the cultural undertones that international viewers may need help understanding.

 

Understanding Cultural Nuances And Humor

Other studies found that cultural taboos and sensitivities can also influence humor. For example, in many Islamic cultures, it is considered inappropriate to make jokes about the Prophet Muhammad or to depict him humorously. Likewise, jokes that touch on sensitive topics such as religion, politics, or gender may not be appreciated in some cultures. For Arabic translation services, this is an essential understanding. Localization agencies offer services to help identify these sensitive cultural topics and help companies navigate them when operating internationally.

 

It is essential for localization companies to understand cultural differences in humor to ensure effective communication, especially with clients. They do thorough research and work with professional translators and interpreters to facilitate effective communication between their clients and their customers. Since humor can touch on universal themes such as love, family, or everyday experiences, it can be a great way to find common ground. In the end, it all come down to working with your clients to understand their target audiences and develop appropriate content that resonates with them.

 

Bridging Cultural Divides With Localization Services

When using humor to bridge cultural divides, it is crucial to be thoughtful of cultural taboos and sensitivities and to adapt your approach based on audience feedback. Here are some examples of how humor can be used effectively:

 

Example #1:

In a cross-cultural communication workshop, a speaker from a high-context culture used a humorous anecdote to explain the importance of indirect communication. The story featured a man who was asked to pick up his boss from the airport, but instead of giving him a direct answer, he said, “I’ll try my best,” and proceeded to pick up his boss two hours late. The audience from a low-context culture found the story amusing and insightful, and it helped them understand the importance of indirect communication in high-context cultures.

 

Example #2:

In a global team-building event, participants were asked to share jokes from their culture. For example, one participant from Japan shared a pun that played on the words “green tea” and “debt,” which was well received by the group. The joke highlighted the importance of language and wordplay in humor and showed that humor could be a way to celebrate cultural differences and learn from each other. As a language service provider, you can facilitate these cultural exchange events to promote understanding and communication between different cultures.

 

In conclusion, making people laugh across cultures is difficult, but with some effort and sensitivity, you can bridge cultural divides with humor. To build that bridge, high-quality localization and translation services can help ensure that no meaning is lost during translation or interpretation and that a joke’s essence remains unchanged.

 

 

3 Embarrassing Professional Translation And Localization Mistakes

Releasing your product and/or services internationally is a must if you want to see increased profitability and gain the competitive edge over other companies. However, it must be done correctly with professional translation and localization services or else there can be some costly and interesting consequences. Below are 3 examples showcasing why internationalizing your product with the help of a professional translation agency is absolutely necessary.

 

KFC’s Professional Translation And Localization Mistake

America’s beloved KFC franchise wanted to expand to China in the 1980s. When KFC’s first restaurant opened up in Beijing, China, it was expected to be very successful. It might have been more successful with the use of the best translation services, as KFC’s slogan “Finger-lickin’ good” was translated to “Eat your fingers off” in Chinese.This not very appetizing slogan serves as a perfect example of why professional translation and localization is essential.

 

Braniff Airlines’ Costly Localization Mistake

In 1987, Braniff Airlines attempted to promote its new leather seats. When expanding into Latin America, Braniff airlines translated their English campaign, “Fly in Leather”, into “Vuelo en Cuero.” Much of Latin America was fine with the slogan; however, Mexico was not too thrilled by Braniff Airlines. Without proper localization and translation services, Braniff Airlines were not aware that in Mexico “Vuelo en Cuero” also means “Fly naked.” Clearly, there are many nuances in languages and dialectal differences that can be identified by investing in professional business translation services.

 

Ford’s Professional Translation And Localization Mistake

Even Ford’s name was tainted in Europe when they attempted to begin selling cars across the continent.  Ford’s tagline “Every car has a high-quality body” was translated into a number of different European languages to “Every car has a high-quality corpse”, scaring off many potential buyers. If Ford had paid careful attention to accurate translation, professional translation and localization providers could have taken their tagline and translated it in a creative way to ensure a fun, catchy tagline for all languages. No matter the translation costs, going global in the proper way is well worth the investment.

 

Professional Translation And Localization From L.C.

Making translation mistakes like the ones listed above is not only embarrassing, but can potentially shatter a company’s reputation and credibility. Professional translations should consist of multiple rounds of quality assurance checks by industry expert linguists. Highly-skilled linguists can provide you with certified translation of slogans, marketing campaign taglines and more. Luckily, Language Connections has a pool of highly-qualified, industry-expert linguists in over 200+ languages. Contact us today for professional translation and interpreting services for your business.

 

5 Languages That Require Localization Services The Most

Investing in translation and localization services for local languages is the secret weapon for effectively marketing to global target audiences.

According to CSA Research, 75% of consumers are more likely to buy products from websites in their native language. However, determining which languages to translate content into can be difficult.

Let’s take a closer look at five languages you should definitely find a localization provider for if your organization intends to spread internationally.

 

Localization Services In English

It is without a doubt that English is the most spoken language in the world. It is used in 94 countries by 339 million native speakers. In addition, it is the de facto language of the United States and an official language of Australia, the United Kingdom, South Africa, and several other countries, making it an essential language for business owners.

Because English is the language of pop culture and science, it is an unstoppable force on the Internet. In fact, English is used on 53% of all websites. Therefore, if you’re aiming for an audience that frequently uses electronic devices, make sure to translate your content into English.

 

Localization Services in Mandarin Chinese

According to Ethnologue, one in six people in the world speaks Chinese.

China has emerged as one of the world’s most crucial e-commerce markets. E-commerce sales share increased significantly from around 24.5% in 2021, a significant driver of the country’s retail economy. E-commerce retail sales are expected to reach $3.99 trillion USD by 2026.

That’s why it’s so important to improve your global business brand by investing in Chinese translation.

 

Localization Services in Spanish

Spanish occupies an important place in the United States. There are more than 53 million Hispanic people. Considering the U.S population of about 329 million, this comprises 16% of American consumers. According to Pew Research Center, 78% of Spanish speakers go online frequently on mobile devices, desktops, and laptops.

Investing in website advertising localization and Spanish translation will allow you to tap into the vast Spanish-speaking market in the U.S. and abroad.

 

Localization in German

Did you know that Germany has the most extensive online market in Europe? Germans are very open to global products, though they lean slightly toward European ones.

They are also very well-educated consumers, researching other similar products and features before purchasing anything.

For businesses looking to go that extra mile and have a competitive edge, hiring a German translation agency will help you be a success in the German market.

 

Localization In Portuguese

Portuguese is the second most spoken language in Latin America, behind Spanish. Around 215 million people speak Portuguese in Portugal, Brazil, and parts of Africa.

Brazilians spend a lot of money on electronics and beauty products, as Brazil has one of the world’s largest beauty product markets. Furthermore, Brazilian e-commerce is growing in popularity. It is necessary to provide web pages in Portuguese.

To make a good impression on potential customers worldwide, translate and localize your marketing content, including website localization, video translation, or even phone interpretation.

Language Connections are willing to help improve your company’s credibility and Influence in foreign markets with their native languages.

 

 

Top 3 Biggest Developments in the Software Localization Industry

The demand for software localization has been growing consistently every year. Increasingly, software localization services are becoming more integral to the broader localization process. Whether the product is a website, video game, or mobile app, chances are it will require some sort of software localization. The technology and methods involved with software localization are continuously evolving. The following are three examples of some of the latest and most exciting developments in the software localization and website translation services spaces.

 

1. Meta’s Approach To Mobile Software Localization

Facebook is used by millions of people all over the world. By some reports, as much as 98% of users prefer to access Facebook on their mobile devices. Providing localization and translation services for all of the different languages of Facebook’s users is not a simple task. However, the engineering team at Meta has come up with a clever solution: language packs. Meta constructs a specific language pack for every single supported language. These language packs are automatically updated with new translations every time a new version of the mobile app is released. The key to this system is that the app only downloads the specific pack that the user needs. This saves time and space as the app concerns itself with only the languages the user needs.

 

2. The Use Of APIs For Software Localization

The software-as-a-service model has revolutionized the tech industry. This change in the business model of tech companies means that tech products have to be constantly updated as new services are provided and new users join the platform. Software localization and technology translation play an important role in this continuous development process. Localization companies have to be constantly involved, instead of simply performing a one-time localization service. To do this, translation and localization companies often build their own APIs to be able to integrate their localization tools with their client’s platform. This allows new translations and adaptations to be quickly integrated into the product, increasing the efficiency of the localization process. With so many apps connected with cloud technology, the use of APIs in the localization process contributes to a faster and more dynamic service.

 

3. Localization and AI

In addition to using APIs and interfacing with cloud-based technologies, software localization service companies are using cutting edge computer aided transcription systems. These systems use AI and machine learning to help make the translation and localization process more efficient and accurate. These AI and machine learning systems are constantly being improved. The speed, accuracy, and efficiency of localization and translation services will continuously grow as the technical abilities of these AI systems improve.

 

5 Times Localization Services Helped Popular Brands

Have you ever wondered how brands market their products around the world? Even when the same language is spoken, there are significant differences from place to place that need to be addressed, especially in terms of culture. As a result, localization services are needed in order to bridge cultural gaps, as translating without localization can lead to very awkward situations and put a company’s brand at risk. Localization services and translation services put together are an amazing tool to target a set group of people with common habits and customs. A whole set of world-wide brands use those services in advertising campaigns. Luckily, language service companies sell different types of services such as video translation and video localization, which help tailor commercials to a target group.

To better illustrate the advantages of localization services, we listed five times where localization helped popular brands:

 

1. Coca-Cola And Localization Services

Coca-Cola is perhaps one of the most recognizable brands on the planet. Given their status as a global company, they often use localization services to ensure that they target the right people through their ad campaigns. For example, when Coca-Cola launched a campaign where they decided to put names on the Coke bottles, the names they chose for each company were localized to reflect the most frequent names in a given region. For example, although “Josh” is a popular name in the US, it is obviously not as popular in Thailand.

 

2. Localization Services For Netflix

Netflix is another big name that knows how important it is to hire a professional translator and purchase website localization services. The most obvious example is the translation of their movies and series through dubbing and subtitling services. For instance, it is essential to localize the different notifications that pop up on your phone when a new show becomes available. According their strategy, you won’t get the same message if you live in England instead of France.

 

3. Nintendo And Localization Services

If there is one brand that is aware of how important it is to invest in localization services, it is certainly Nintendo. They have been purchasing localization for decade because they knew that if they wanted to be recognized by all customers regardless of language and custom, they had to make concessions and get rid of violence and sexual references in their games that can be inappropriate for certain audiences. As a result, they became a world-renowned brand used by both children and adults.

 

4. Samsung

This big smartphone brand was not in the many international markets for the longest time. To make its way into them, they had to use localizations services in an intelligent way. For example, they made their way into the French market by appealing to the French taste for art by hosting an art exhibition in Paris to promote the brand.

 

5. Domino’s

The pizza chain did something similar to Samsung when they introduced themselves to the Indian market by picking Indian cooks who personalized the pizza toppings.

For all those reasons and to make sure your marketing can be easily understood in all target markets, you need to have the best translation company by your side, whether it is for brand deals or for more conventional requests like academic translation.

About Language Connections:

Language Connections is one of the top language service companies in the US. Over the last 30 years, we’ve focused on providing the best business translation services, interpreting services, as well as interpreter training and customized language training programs. In addition to top-tier corporate language training, we offer certified corporate interpreters and professional business translation services in 200+ languages. Our network includes linguists with backgrounds in all major industries. They’re ready to meet your needs, whether they’re for technical translation services, legal translation, government translation services, international development translation services, education translation services, life sciences translation, or something else. Reach out to us today for a free quote on our cost-efficient and timely translation services, interpreters, or other linguistic services.

 

 

 

Language Connections LLC
2001 Beacon Street, Suite 105,
Boston, MA 02135
Phone: +1-617-731-3510
Email: service@languageconnections.com

 

 

The Top 5 Most Disastrous Localization Service Mistakes

You don’t realize how important localization is until you see the mistakes that occur when there is lack of it. When a professional localization service is not used, mistakes happen really easily. Many think that translation is enough in order to market products and services internationally, but localization is equally essential in most cases. In fact, marketing localization services must be used because a slogan made for one country might not translate well into the language of another country. There are many different factors to pay attention when localizing a text, including place names, dialects, idioms, text dimensions, and much more. Hiring a localization service is essential to ensure that a perfect translation is directed towards a target group in a culturally-sensitive fashion. Most commercials use localization services paired with good video translation services, but nevertheless, there have been some mistakes that have happened throughout the years involving very well-known brands that underestimated the importance of good web localization.

Here are five hilarious instances when localization services could have been used:

 

1. KFC Could Have Used A Localization Service

Their famous slogan “Finger lickin’ good” was translated to “Eat your fingers off” in China. Such a mistranslation could have easily been avoided if they had used a localization service and proof-read it. These mistakes are funny now, but at the time, this must have been really awkward to explain.

 

2. Honda Didn’t Use A Professional Localization Service

For Honda, investing in a localization service partner might have avoided the mistake of presenting their car model as a “Fitta” in Japan even though the car’s name referred to a woman’s intimate parts. Imagine if this had happened in the internet age; it would have easily gone viral. This story proves that it is important to invest in website translation services and localization when exporting to foreign markets

 

3. A Localization Service Could Have Helped Pepsi

Pepsi’s localization mistake is also really awkward. They translated their slogan, “Come alive! You’re in the Pepsi Generation!”, to “Pepsi brings your ancestors back from the dead!” in Mandarin and Cantonese and “Rise from the grave with Pepsi!” in German. Clearly, they would have avoided this mistake if they invested in a certified localization service and translation services.

 

 

4. The Case of Electrolux

This case especially demonstrates the importance of marketing localization services. The slogan for the company, Electrolux, when translated into English, read, “Nothing sucks like an Electrolux.”. Here the Swedish brand was talking about their new vacuum, but unfortunately the lack of professional localization services created an embarrassing situation for the company. Obviously, this model didn’t sell well in the American market.

 

5. Parker

The Mexican Pen brand had the slogan, “It won’t leak in your pocket and embarrass you” in Spanish. Even if their slogan worked in Spanish, they mistranslated it in English to, “It won’t leak in your pocket and make you pregnant” in English. Such a mistake does not look well at all for a brand whether it is in a commercial or in a webpage; brands should never underestimate the power of investing in a localization service.

A localization service is not limited to providing marketing localization; it can also provide elearning translation services and localization, video translation, and website localization. In today’s age, it is essential to think seriously about website localization and how they can help your company’s marketing.

 

About Language Connections:

Language Connections is one of the top language service companies in the US. Over the last 30 years, we’ve focused on providing the best business translation services, interpreting services, as well as interpreter training and customized language training programs. In addition to top-tier corporate language training, we offer certified corporate interpreters and professional business translation services in 200+ languages. Our network includes linguists with backgrounds in all major industries. They’re ready to meet your needs, whether they’re for technical translation services, legal translation, government translation services, international development translation services, education translation services, life sciences translation, or something else. Reach out to us today for a free quote on our cost-efficient and timely translation services, interpreters, or other linguistic services.

 

 

 

Language Connections LLC
2001 Beacon Street, Suite 105,
Boston, MA 02135
Phone: +1-617-731-3510
Email: service@languageconnections.com

 

4 Industry Examples Of How Online Marketing Localization Shapes Business

About Language Connections:

Language Connections is one of the top language service companies in the US. Over the last 30 years, we’ve focused on providing the best business translation services, interpreting services, localization services, as well as interpreter training and customized language training programs. In addition to top-tier corporate language training, we offer certified corporate interpreters and professional business translation services in 200+ languages. Our network includes linguists with backgrounds in all major industries. They’re ready to meet your needs, whether they’re for technical translation services, legal translation, government translation services, international development translation services, education translation services, life sciences translation, or something else. Reach out to us today for a free quote on our cost-efficient and timely translation services, interpreters, or other linguistic services.

Language Connections Inc.
2001 Beacon Street, Suite 105,
Boston, MA 02135
Phone: +1-617-731-3510
Email: service@languageconnections.com

What Is Diwali And How Is It Celebrated?

About Language Connections:

Language Connections is one of the top language service companies in the US. Over the last 30 years, we’ve focused on providing the best business translation services, interpreting services, localization services, as well as interpreter training and customized language training programs. In addition to top-tier corporate language training, we offer certified corporate interpreters and professional business translation services in 200+ languages. Our network includes linguists with backgrounds in all major industries. They’re ready to meet your needs, whether they’re for technical translation services, legal translation, government translation services, international development translation services, education translation services, life sciences translation, or something else. Reach out to us today for a free quote on our cost-efficient and timely translation services, interpreters, or other linguistic services.

Language Connections Inc.
2001 Beacon Street, Suite 105,
Boston, MA 02135
Phone: +1-617-731-3510
Email: service@languageconnections.com