Archive for Translation

Matthew Connaughton | July 2, 2009
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Google helping firms take over the world…

You’ve heard the remarks before, no doubt, that “Google is on a mission to take over the world”. You may have even agreed from time to time, however one thing is certain – they definitely are, but not as you would (like to) think!!

Much has been said about Google (good and bad) since its meteoric rise to fame, fortune and household-namedom, however there is one thing you certainly won’t have heard from the paranoia brigade. I speak of Google UK’s recent launch of its Export Advisor website – a free tool that guides business managers through the various barriers to entry to overseas markets and thus helps them to export with relative ease.

The overarching aim of Export Advisor is to encourage small firms and first-time exporters trade overseas by giving free impartial advice and ‘how to’ guides for all things exporting. They’ve even come up with a nifty (dare I say nifty?) market sizing tool for certain geographic regions based on your market (screenshot below).

Google Market Sizing Tool

Google's market sizing tool gives potential opportunities for your products/services abroad.

Sticking to what they clearly know best, Google have also impressively drafted in a number of suppliers to cope with all the non-web based elements of exporting. These include HSBC, Royal Mail, the Institute of Export and Applied Language Solutions.

In keeping with the exporting theme, Applied Language has also teamed up with Google and the other partners to launch Export  Box. Combining translation, shipping, banking, in-country Pay Per Click and Google advertising for a one off fee, Export Box is the first ever ‘out of the box’ exporting package.

Anyone reading this is encouraged to take a look at the Export Advisor website and try out the (beta) tools for themselves. Oh and try not to reach the conclusion that Google are trying to help you take over the world…

Happy exporting!

Category: Translation | Tags: , , , , , ,
samp | June 30, 2009
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How Businesses Can Embrace Free Technology

Applied Language CEO Gavin Wheeldon spoke recently at the Future Focus Event in Edinburgh.

Here he shares his thoughts on how businesses can use technology (especially free technology!) to become more efficient and more effective.

Category: Technology, Translation | Tags: , , , , ,
admin | June 29, 2009
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Gazprom Highlight Need for Brand Checks

Russian energy giant Gazprom recently announced a joint venture with the state run Nigerian energy company NNPC. Unfortunately they didn’t think it wise to get their chosen brand checked for inappropriate or culturally offensive meanings throughout the world.

The new brand name for the venture must have been decided last thing on a Friday afternoon; it’s the only way to explain the amount of creativity taken to come up with “Nigaz”.

“Hmm, a gaz company in Nigeria…I’ve got it Nigaz!!”

Such branding schoolboy errors come around far more often than they should, and it’s the big boys that are often the biggest culprits.

When Kentucky Fried Chicken translated their slogan “Finger lickin’ good” into Chinese, it came out as “Eat your fingers off”.

In Italy, a campaign for “Schweppes Tonic Water” translated the name into “Schweppes Toilet Water”.

When General Motors introduced the Chevy Nova in South America, it was apparently unaware that “no va” in Spanish means “it won’t go”.

Perhaps next time Gazprom launch a new brand in a foreign country they will use our international brand check service.

We get 10 linguists per language to answer a series of 20 questions relating to the brand, to make sure:

  • Your chosen name is not already in use
  • Your chosen brand name doesn’t have an offensive meaning in your target country
  • The colours you have chosen are not considered unlucky in the county of your launch
  • The brand name you’ve picked translates well and the meaning is maintained
  • Your product is not culturally offensive

So next time you launch a product in a new country make sure you keep a small bit of budget for your brand check and avoid yourself a costly re-brand.

Category: Translation Mistakes | Tags: , , ,
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