More than just translating: the transcreation of advertising campaigns in international marketing

This Master’s thesis explores the dynamic field of transcreation within the context of today’s globalized society, marked by an increasing demand for effective communication in marketing and advertising to achieve free flow of information, products, and services across cultural and linguistic boundaries. Transcreation, a practice that goes beyond traditional translation, is essential for conveying messages and brand identities across different languages and cultures while maintaining cultural relevance and emotional resonance. This work explores transcreation as a unique and indispensable task within the broader field of multilingual advertising. The theoretical framework lays the groundwork for examining transcreation in order to establish that transcreation is not merely a business concept but a distinct practice in the marketplace with its own focus and requirements. After delineating the purpose of the thesis, the chosen methods and corpus in the methodology section, the following one scrutinizes eleven advertising campaigns transcreated across English, Spanish, and Italian-speaking regions. Through an in-depth descriptive-comparative analysis, this section aims to exemplify the practical application of transcreation by aligning it with industry procedures, from the initial brief to client feedback. It also uncovers parallels and disparities among transcreation practices around the globe and proposes new transcreations for the Italian market, exemplifying the practical application of this professional task. This work contributes to the evolving body of knowledge of transcreation in the domain of translation studies and cross-cultural communication by providing a comprehensive understanding of transcreation and its vital role in the advertising industry. By unraveling the intricacies of transcreation and offering practical insights, it addresses the challenges of conveying messages effectively across cultural and linguistic divides in the digital age.