Luxury and beauty transcreation: go beyond translation
There are some texts that simply cannot be translated. Not because they are complicated, but because their power doesn’t lie in the literal meaning of the words. A slogan or tagline that works in French may fall completely flat in English if it is simply translated word for word. The wordplay is lost, the rhythm shifts and the cultural reference doesn’t resonate.
What sets transcreation apart from traditional translation
Instead of translating the text, we recreate the message in the target language so that it produces the same effect: the same emotion, the same impact, the same desire to buy. Transcreation is halfway between translation and copywriting.
For a traditional translation, the translator starts with the source text and renders it into the target language while remaining as faithful as possible. When transcreating, we start with a brief. The writer is guided by the intent of the message, the brand’s identity and the cultural codes of the target market to write a text that may differ significantly from the original.
Think of it this way: if a perfume tagline draws on a French cultural reference, the transcreator will not attempt to translate it. Instead, they will search for an equivalent reference in the target culture, or create a completely different image that evokes the same emotion. The goal is to be true to the intention of the text rather than to the text itself.
When should you use transcreation?
Transcreation is essential when a text relies on emotion or wordplay and a literal translation would fall flat, such as in the case of a slogan, a brand tagline, or the storytelling behind a fragrance. Conversely, for primarily informational or technical content (product sheets, catalogues, terms and conditions, etc.), specialised translation or post-editing is the more appropriate solution. Your project manager will always advise you on the right option.
The OuiTranslate Process
In-depth discussion
It all starts with a detailed brief. We need to understand the purpose of the message, the target audience, the desired tone and any potential constraints (length, format, distribution channels, etc.). This brief is essential: it’s what helps our writers stay on track.
Transcreation
Next, a native writer specialised in your industry takes over. This is not a translator in the traditional sense: it is someone who knows how to write to sell, a writer who understands the language of luxury and beauty and who is familiar with the expectations of consumers in the target market. They typically propose several creative options, along with an explanation of their editorial choices. You choose, we refine.
A polished result
This process takes a little while longer than a standard translation, and that’s to be expected. Creating a message that resonates in another culture requires careful thought, back-and-forth discussions and sometimes several drafts before finding the right formula. But the result speaks for itself: content that feels as though it was designed for the local market from the very beginning.
Why has transcreation become essential in the luxury industry?
Major luxury houses communicate in dozens of languages, in markets with vastly different cultural sensibilities. A campaign that appeals to the French market will not necessarily have the same effect in Japan or the Middle East. The codes of desire, elegance, and aspiration are not universal.
Transcreation makes it possible to preserve your brand identity while adapting to these differences. That’s what makes the difference between an international campaign that works and a campaign that has simply been translated.
“OuiTranslate are our trusted partner for all translating requirements – always dependable, their translations are delivered quickly and at a reasonable price. It’s always a pleasure working with OuiTranslate.”
— 111SKIN
Case Study — Luxury beauty transcreation: redirecting a translation brief for Parfums de Marly
Étude de cas
When Parfums de Marly contacted OuiTranslate to translate a press kit for a new fragrance launch from French into UK English, the initial request was simple: 600 words, one business day. After analysing the content, the agency redirected the brief towards transcreation.
A perfume launch press kit follows its own narrative conventions. The goal is not simply to translate words, but to recreate an atmosphere, to bring a fragrance to life in English with the same sensory resonances it has in French. This transcreation project was entrusted to a linguist specialising in perfumery, with access to translation memories and visuals from the launch, and was then proofread by the project manager who is a native English speaker.
The delivery included a linguistic, typographic, and terminology quality check, formatted to match the source layout.
Our languages and markets
Our transcreation specialists work in English, German, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Chinese, Japanese, Korean and Arabic, as well as in all other European and Asian languages. For each market, we work with writers who live there or have lived there for an extended period of time. We believe it is the only way to capture the cultural references that make a message resonate with the local audience.
When a client asks us to adapt a campaign for the Chinese market, for example, we do not assign the project to a French translator who speaks Chinese. Instead, we assign it to a native Chinese writer who specialises in luxury and is familiar with the ins and outs of digital communication on local platforms. This high standard makes the difference in the quality of the result.
Other services
Depending on the nature of your content, other approaches may be more appropriate.
For content that requires fidelity to the source text rather than transcreation, our 100% human specialised translation is the right choice.
For large volumes with tight deadlines, consider our AI-powered translation post-edited by a human translator.
And to round out your projects (multilingual DTP, subtitling, multilingual copywriting, SEO, etc.), take a look at our complementary language services.
Need to adapt a tagline or launch a campaign?
Send us your brief or tell us about your project. Our teams offer personalised support and will provide you with a quote within two hours.
