What Is Transcreation? Explore the Process and Purpose

What is Transcreation?

Transcreation is a process that combines translation with copywriting and creation. 

Transcreation is the process of reimagining content for a new audience while preserving its intent, style, tone, and emotional impact. Unlike direct translation, which focuses on linguistic accuracy, transcreation adapts messaging to resonate culturally—often changing idioms, references, imagery, and structure to better align with local expectations. 

Transcreation is a creative translation that strives to evoke intended emotions and inspire users to take a call to action while staying true to the brand messaging. 

Effective transcreation requires deep collaboration between the content owner and the transcreator. The transcreator must understand brand guidelines, campaign goals, and target demographics to craft messaging that feels native and drives results. 

What Are Some Examples of Transcreation? 

A clear way to understand transcreation is through film. Consider The Ring, the American remake of the Japanese horror film Ringu. While the premise—a cursed videotape that causes death—remained the same, the American version shifted settings, names, and cultural cues to better connect with a U.S. audience. Japan became the Pacific Northwest. Character backstories and dialogue were adapted, but the emotional impact—fear—stayed intact. 
This is transcreation in action: the message and feeling are preserved, but the expression is rewritten for a new audience. 

Global brands use this approach often. McDonald’s adapts menus to suit local tastes. Nike reshapes campaigns to reflect regional culture. IKEA redesigns catalogues so they resonate across languages and markets. In each case, the goal is to retain brand intent while building local relevance. 

What is the Difference Between Transcreation and Translation?

While they’re often mentioned together, transcreation and translation serve very different purposes. Understanding this distinction is essential when building your multilingual content strategy. 

Translation: Staying True to the Source

Translation involves rendering text from one language into another as accurately as possible. A translator’s job is to preserve the original meaning while adapting the structure and vocabulary to make the text clear and fluent in the target language. 

This process requires a deep understanding of both languages and is often handled by linguists or subject matter experts. Translated content can include everything from product descriptions and legal documents to support articles and technical manuals. Creativity may play a role, but fidelity to the source text is the priority. 

Transcreation: Rewriting for Impact 

Transcreation is a creative process that blends translation with copywriting. Rather than following the original word-for-word, transcreators develop entirely new copy that delivers the same emotional tone, purpose, and brand intent—but in a way that resonates with the target audience. 

This process usually starts with a creative brief that outlines your campaign goals, brand voice, and audience insights. The transcreator then crafts content that fits the cultural and linguistic context of the market while staying aligned with the original message. 

Transcreation is ideal for marketing assets like slogans, taglines, digital ads, product launches, and web banners—anywhere tone, emotion, and cultural nuance are critical to performance. 

What is the Difference Between Transcreation and Localization?

If you understand how transcreation differs from translation, the next question is: how does it compare to localization? 

Transcreation and localization are both used to adapt content for different markets, but they serve different functions and require different approaches. 

Transcreation is a creative process. It focuses on rewriting content—often marketing-related—to make sure it emotionally connects with a specific audience. The goal is to preserve the intent, tone, and impact of the original message, even if that means moving away from a literal translation. 

Localization, on the other hand, is more technical. It involves adjusting existing content to match regional norms, including units of measurement, date and time formats, currencies, and regulatory terms. While localization ensures accuracy and usability, transcreation ensures resonance and relevance. 

Both are crucial, but they serve distinct roles within a multilingual content strategy. 

Why a Transcreation Brief Matters 

A successful transcreation process starts with a clear and detailed brief. This guide should outline the campaign’s purpose, brand tone, audience profile, and any specific messaging goals. It may also include links to existing campaigns, creative assets, and past examples. 

The goal is to give the transcreator the creative freedom to write new content that resonates deeply with the target market—without straying from the brand’s core message. 

A strong brief helps align creative output with local expectations, resulting in more engaging and culturally relevant messaging. It can also support local SEO by uncovering relevant keywords and topics that improve visibility in regional markets. 

Because transcreation results in new, original content, it also reduces the risk of being penalized for duplicate content in search engines. 

When Should You Use Transcreation? 

Use translation for straightforward, factual content—things like legal notices, technical documentation, or customer support pages where accuracy is the top priority. 

Use transcreation when the goal is persuasion, emotional connection, or brand differentiation. Ideal use cases include: 

• Slogans and taglines 
• Ad copy and web banners 
• Product launch materials 
• Email campaigns 
• Social media assets 
• Landing pages 

If your content is creative, high-impact, and consumer-facing, transcreation will deliver stronger engagement, more conversions, and better ROI in global markets. 

Conclusion

Direct translations can miss the mark in global markets. Without cultural alignment, even strong messaging can feel out of place. 

Transcreation gives you the flexibility to adapt your message, tone, and intent to meet local expectations. It’s a key part of any multilingual marketing strategy, helping you connect with customers on a deeper level and drive results. 

If you want your global content to perform like local content, transcreation is the way forward. 

Need Help with Your Transcreation Strategy? 

From taglines to entire campaigns, GlobalLink delivers transcreation solutions that connect globally and convert locally.