Transcreation
Rewriting persuasive copy so it creates the same reaction in another culture, even when the words, joke, or reference must change.
What it is
Transcreation combines translation with copywriting. Instead of asking for the closest wording, it asks for the same reaction: the joke should still land, the headline should still persuade, and the call to action should still sound like the brand. The result may change an idiom, metaphor, rhythm, or cultural reference while keeping the campaign's intent intact. Haribo is the textbook case: the German jingle 'Haribo macht Kinder froh, und Erwachsene ebenso' became 'Kids and grown-ups love it so, the happy world of Haribo' in English. Different words, same rhyme, same promise.
Reach for it on slogans, ads, launch emails, video scripts, and other copy whose effect matters more than its literal structure. Give the writer a creative brief with the audience, promise, tone, character limits, required terms, and forbidden claims. Ask for several options with a back-translation and rationale so local reviewers can judge the choice without pretending it is a word-for-word exercise.
Gotcha: transcreation is not permission to rewrite facts. Prices, legal qualifiers, product behavior, and regulated claims still need exact control, and ordinary interface labels usually need consistent translation instead. Review the target copy for its effect in that market, not for how closely its back-translation resembles the source.
Ask AI for it
Transcreate this campaign for ja-JP. Preserve the audience, promise, brand voice, call to action, factual claims, and character limits, but replace idioms, jokes, and cultural references that will not land in Japan. Obey all approved and do-not-translate terms in the supplied TBX termbase. Return three Japanese options for each source line, followed by a literal English back-translation and a short rationale explaining the intended effect. Flag any legal or product claim that cannot be adapted safely instead of rewriting it.