While on a recent trip to Switzerland, visiting relatives, I was struck by the casual ability of my family’s multi-lingual skills – something we sadly lack in the UK. It was fascinating to hear my young nephews and nieces speaking English, French and German fluently, but it was their ability to switch between all three languages in conversation that got me thinking.
They would simply choose the language that was best suited to communicate the idea or thought.
This casual fluency prompted me to draw parallels with our work in the communications industry; how every original idea must be delivered using the language, media and tonality that will best resonate with the target audience. As with my Swiss relatives, this has become almost second nature to us; a skill that helps us stay ahead of the game.
When we receive a brief, we seek insights into the target audience – what delivery ‘language’ is most appropriate – should it be targeted to specific customers, can we reach them online, or is a broader multi-media approach the answer? We think about tone of voice, should it be more ‘personal’ than broadcast? We are also mindful of sub-cultures and behavioural differences within our own society, and the implications of clichés and ‘sayings’ when translating to another language. These choices that can make the difference between a properly personalized, targeted campaign, versus a less efficient ‘scattergun’ approach.
The dreaded ‘lost in translation’ could easily occur if we if we used the wrong language to the right people.
Right then…. perhaps I should try to find those ‘Learn a Foreign Language in 5 Minutes’ CD’s!
