In today's post, we want to give a quick explanation on how we select and promote our linguists (translators, editors, and language leads) and our continual quality control process for our language translation and localization services offerings.
The key to a successful project is ensuring that quality is implemented from the start, and qualification of our linguists is the first and a very important step in assuring a successful rollout. So, without further ado, may we present: our linguist qualification process!
The next time you’re in your local 7-Eleven, ask the clerk if they stock fresh bags of Lay’s “Mint Mischief,” “Numb & Spicy Hot Pot,” or “Lychee” style chips (pictured above, along with some other tempting flavors). Assure him you’re serious. These aren’t the inventions of a practical joker, but careful flavor forays into Indian and Chinese markets.
What begins as a humble potato married to salt and fat quickly blossoms into a buffet of international taste engineering. While the long-term strategy of PepsiCo, the maker of Lay's, extends beyond the realm of these snacks, they’ve created an empire of crispy international options across almost every continent, perfecting the art of product localization.
Localized software, like its English counterpart, benefits from pre-launch testing to ensure a smooth release. You may need to look beyond your English testing scope, however, as different languages present their own testing challenges, and there may be code-level variables that need to be adjusted for specific global markets. In today's post, we will cover the most common types of testing we offer and why they're important.
Left to right, right to left — what difference does it make? When it comes to translating bidirectional languages, it can be a pretty big one. And if you want to expand your software business into the Middle East, Malaysia or Indonesia, it helps to understand the differences. Unlike English, bidirectional (or BiDi) languages like Arabic, Hebrew, Urdu and Farsi read from right to left instead of left to right. Although it might seem easy enough to just switch directions for your Arabic or Hebrew translation, bidirectional languages can present some technical challenges. Here are some things to think about before you get started on a bidirectional translation project.
eLearning has some great things going for it: it's cost-effective, accessible for those with limited schedules, and can allow you to customize content easily for a variety of purposes. Taking your eLearning course global can make a lot of sense; however, there are some additional things to consider to make it really successful. Our eLearning guru, Rob Campbell, explains more in today's post.
We know that coming up with an English name for a brand or product can be hard enough, but if you’re thinking about taking it to international markets, your work isn’t done. Names aren’t easily translatable and may end up being offensive or inappropriate. We doubt that even the wordsmith Shakespeare, whose famous quote from Romeo and Juliet is adapted for this blog title, would have an easy time with international naming.
So how do you go about evaluating how your brand, product or service name sounds to ears accustomed to another language? It helps to know a few basic ideas behind naming. Let’s take a look at aspects of naming that are important for your international naming project.
Christmas around the world isn’t always what you might expect. Just like well-known brands that take on a new flavor when localized for foreign countries, your experience with Santa Claus and holiday treats may vary, depending on where you’re traveling.
For example, how is an American fast food chain part of a Japanese holiday tradition? Why does Iceland have 13 versions of Santa Claus? And does Germany really hunt for the “Christmas pickle” in the tree each year?
Pack your sled, and let’s take a tour of some strange facts and fictions about Christmas around the world.
The imminent arrival of the New Year provides a perfect opportunity to analyze the technological innovations that wowed us in 2012 and take a peek at the shiny new ideas that will change our lives in 2013. Six trends caught our attention in 2012: gaming, eCommerce, search engine optimization and marketing, eLearning and training, applications, and multimedia. Looking ahead, these trends will continue to fascinate us as deeply interconnected innovations transform how we interact with each other close to home and globally.
On December 15, the landmark exhibition Andy Warhol: 15 Minutes Eternal Asia opens at the Hong Kong Museum of Art. With over 300 paintings, photographs, screen prints, drawings, 3-D installations and sculptures featuring some of Warhol’s most iconic images, the Hong Kong stop is part of a two-year tour throughout several cities across Asia.
Thanks in part to Acclaro’s track record serving clients such as The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Guggenheim, Tiffany & Co., and Coach, The Andy Warhol Museum chose Acclaro to translate into Chinese their mobile app and educational resources website for the exhibition.
How does one present an artist like Warhol whose own definition changes in the context of contemporary life? Furthermore, what does it take to translate his legacy for Chinese audiences?
It turned out doing it well while on tight deadlines was an art form of its own.
December brings with it visions of snow, so what better time to head to Russia and its vibrant capital Moscow? Whether you've got a long layover or better, if you're spending a few days in this sprawling city, there's more to see than just the Red Square and the Kremlin.
From taxis to how to enjoy a Russian banya, the best museums to street food, we have what to do in Moscow covered. Our first word of advice: watch out for the high curbs. They're tall because of the snow, so when you step, it's a long way down.
Read on for our tips on how to make the most of your Moscow visit.
When you’re writing the business plan for your tech startup, global strategy might not be the first thing on your mind. The traditional path of the startup has been to achieve success at home first, then look to expand overseas. But in our hyper-connected world, everything is more visible, including trends, innovations and even business strategies. If you’re not thinking global when you start up a company, you might find that someone else in another market has taken your idea and run with it before you have time to enter the race. That’s why VCs and investors now look for fast global scalability when they evaluate potential investments. So what can you do to make your new startup global ready from the get-go?
Through the multilingual magic of our Go Global Holiday Card Creator, you (yes, you!) get to send free e-cards with holiday greetings to friends, family and business associates around the world, in any one of thirteen languages. From a client in Chengdu to an aunt in Aix-en-Provence, put a smile on someone’s face with holiday wishes in their own language.
When Breastcancer.org sought to expand their mission to Spanish speakers around the world, they needed more than just a run-of-the-mill translation of their website. They wanted a true partner who knew how to speak to their users accurately and compassionately, mirroring the effort and care that is evident on their English site. Acclaro is proud to have been selected as their vendor of choice. How did we meet the challenge? Read on to find out.
When localizing your eLearning materials, don't forget about the audio! Either voiceover or subtitling will both serve your needs as well as those of your users; however, there are some considerations that may sway you one way or the other. In this post, we give you a rundown of what to keep in mind.
From Thanksgiving pies to Christmas cookies, the holiday season in the States is a sugary six weeks of baking and celebrating. Every culture has a sweet tooth, so as Americans pull out their rolling pins and pat out the pastry dough for pumpkin pie this week, we thought it would be fun to take a tour of celebratory desserts and sweets around the world. Whether for religious holidays, national celebrations, or special occasions, sugar plays a prominent role in the international recipe book. Forget about your diet and don’t tell your dentist — it’s time to celebrate the sweeter side of life!
Today, mobile data and SMS networks are vital tools for transforming economies and are opening up access to developing markets. While Americans may be absorbed by how the newest smartphone app can be used to program their home DVR, developing nations are putting core mobile technology to work in all sorts of ventures.
In this post, we’ll take a look at why mobile application localization will help you might interact with your future customers in these regions.
Last month Facebook announced the launch of Global Pages, a new structure for brands on Facebook that engage with multiple countries. This social network is definitely a key part of many social media strategies and offers some new options for international companies. Here are our pros and cons on Global Pages and their impact on brand development and global marketing strategy.
The French and English may have been the first wave of immigrants to arrive on Canada’s shores but they certainly weren’t the last. Throughout its history, immigrants have come from the four corners of the world to live in North America's vast north, weaving a rich cultural and linguistic tapestry that cannot be described as merely bilingual. When you think about your customers north of the 49th parallel, you may want to consider that other languages in addition to the official ones, English and French.
Your brand image lives or dies in day-to-day operations. This holds true whether you’re in Beijing or Boston. If you’ve yet to launch your company in a new international market, have you thought what it will take to train your employees to represent you overseas? How will you ensure you’re making and not breaking your promises to customers?
Corporate training is a critical component of a successful global strategy, and your training programs will need the same sort of translation and localization attention that your website and other marketing and sales materials receive. Choosing and prioritizing the types of training materials you’ll need for each market is a good place to start. From there you’ll want to decide which educational platforms are best suited to your content, objectives, and budget.
In this post we’ll examine four different popular training methods and discuss some of the issues you’ll want to balance when deploying them globally.
Twitter is powerful and multilingual social media platform. Leveraging search engine optimization, Twitter can build your brand’s visibility and reputation, improve your relationships with clients and give you a competitive edge. The platform’s heightened transparency and the potential cost of a misstep worry some companies. Increasingly, however, businesses are putting their misgivings aside to join in the speed-of-light global conversation. A carefully-crafted Twitter program fully integrated into your global marketing strategy can put your company on the map.
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