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300 hairy bears help launch the creative translation agency franklyfluent

Bears-1024x738

Creative translation agency franklyfluent has produced a series of colourful illustrations revealing the extent to which cultural idioms can get lost in translation.

The five illustrations (IDIOMASCOTS) have been designed to highlight the value and skill of creatively sensitive translations, a service that new agency franklyfluent provides to ensure its clients’ brands are fluent in all relevant markets. This is achieved by marrying up insightful cultural knowledge with a network of respected copywriting talent from across the globe.

Each of the IDIOMASCOTS is accompanied by a literal translation of the foreign phrase, as well as a more natural and fluent creative rendering. As one demonstrates, the Slovenian saying

‘300 hairy bears!’

is an English equivalent of ‘holy moly!’ while another reveals that the French cousin to

‘flogging a dead horse’

is

‘combing the giraffe.’

Giraffe-738x1024

Says franklyfluent founder Jordan Woolley:

“You only have to look at the English language and its colourful use of idioms to appreciate just how delicate cross-cultural translation can be. Rarely will a literal translation do justice to a copywriter’s original carefully chosen words, or indeed even make much sense once translated. By combining the correct choice of words with the appropriate cultural nuances, the message will inevitably pack a more powerful and far-reaching punch.”

To view the IDIOMASCOTS, created by Genevieve Edwards, and to find out more about franklyfluent’s services, from translation and transcreation to creative copywriting, editing and cultural consultation, visit: @fftranslations

About
franklyfluent founders Jordan Woolley and Catherine Barr are language graduates from the University of Oxford and the University of Warwick respectively. They have worked across a spectrum of international clients, including Diet Coke, Danone and RBS during their time agency-side at DDB UK, BETC London and M&C Saatchi. franklyfluent’s client list includes Big Eyes London, WPP and the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising.

The illustrations were created by Genevieve Edwards.

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