Marketing Managers

I didn’t mean for you to take me literally…

Heard that one about Coke? When launching in China, Coke discovered that the literal translation of Coca Cola (in Chinese characters) was “bite the wax tadpole” or “female horse stuffed with wax”, depending on the dialect. Needless to say, Coke came up with a better translation, using Mandarin characters that spelt out “to permit the mouth to be able to rejoice”.

And that’s the thing with marketing: the literal translation does not always convey the intended meaning. In these cases, the issue isn’t accuracy, it’s about creating the same ‘sense’ or ‘feeling’.

When marketing abroad, you need a creative translation that is just as persuasive internationally as it is in your domestic market. It has to take cultural nuances, norms and taboos into account.

International marketing service

Conversis' international marketing service is designed to help companies communicate effectively in any global market. It includes:

• Consultancy and international support – we look at your brand and key messages and advise how that would be perceived in your target market. We also help deliver messages and campaigns internationally.


• Translation and localisation - Conversis offers you translators who have professional marketing experience as well as subject matter expertise. We provide in-country reviewers to give you certainty that your marketing message hits the spot.


• Design and layout – we have experienced art workers and design staff who can reproduce your documents so that they reflect the original design while also adapting to meet the graphic standards and local customs in each market.

Visit international marketing to find out more.

If you’ve had a successful campaign at home that you need to be just as successful abroad, call us now on +44 (0)845 450 0805.