If you’ve ever worked on an international marketing campaign, you know that literal translation is often the enemy of desire. For a brand to truly resonate from one country to another, it’s not enough to change the words; you have to transfer the emotion, intention, and cultural impact.
This is called transcreation.
But how can you ensure that a creative professional on the other side of the world understands the essence of your brand without betraying your DNA?
The answer lies in a document that is often underestimated, yet vital: the style guide.
Far from being a simple technical constraint, this guide is the compass that allows the transcreator to navigate between brand fidelity and local relevance.
More than a list of rules, a collaborative project
A good style guide doesn’t just fall from the sky. It is the result of close collaboration between the company and language experts. Developed from the initial brief, it sets the framework. Without it, the linguist works blind. With it, they become an ambassador for your brand.
Here are the essential pillars that transform a standard document into a real performance tool.
1. The target audience: who are we really talking to?
You don’t talk to an 18-year-old skateboarder in Montreal the same way you talk to a CFO in Paris. The guide must paint a precise picture of the “end customer.” The more detailed the portrait (aspirations, challenges, everyday language), the more the transcreator will be able to adjust the linguistic nuances to strike the right chord.
2. Tone and voice: the soul of your message
This is where the brand’s personality comes into play.
A multinational company may decide to abandon its institutional tone in favor of a more “human” approach for the French market.
Do you want to be perceived as a serious expert or a bold companion?
Should you use “tu” (you – informal) or “vous” (you – formal)? The guide answers these questions to avoid any dissonance.
3. Commercial objectives and brand personality
Every word must serve a purpose. Is it to sell, to inform, or to create an emotional impact? By clarifying the desired positioning, you ensure that the transcreation will not only be “pretty,” but effective. A brand that wants to be “disruptive” must dare to use turns of phrase that a traditional translator would never dare to use without your green light.
4. Precision tools: glossaries and visuals
The glossary: It ensures consistency. In certain sectors (medical, tech, luxury), a poorly chosen word can ruin credibility in an instant.
Visual aids: A picture is worth a thousand words. Including visuals from the campaign or examples of previous advertisements helps the linguist visualize the available space and the aesthetic atmosphere. The text and image must dance together, not step on each other’s toes.
5. Sampling: showing the example
Nothing speaks louder than a validated example. By including excerpts from previously approved texts, you give the transcreator a “gold standard” to align with.
The conductor analogy
To better understand the importance of this document, think of the style guide as a conductor’s score.
Transcreators are the musicians. They have the talent, technique, and creativity to interpret the work. However, it is the score that defines the tempo, intensity, and overall emotion. Without it, each musician could play beautifully, but the ensemble would be cacophonous. The style guide ensures that the performance remains harmonious and, above all, faithful to the intention of the original composer: you.
In summary
Investing time in a style guide is not an administrative waste of time. It is insurance against cultural misunderstandings and an ROI accelerator for your international campaigns. This document allows your brand to speak “locally” while remaining true to itself.
Are you preparing to launch an international campaign? I can help you structure your transcreation brief or define the key points of your future style guide. Would you like us to examine together how to adapt your current tone for a new market?