lfcommsgroup

Changing at the speed of light

If you’re in the lighting industry, you’ll probably agree that things have become a little manic recently. With the arrival of energy efficient LED technology, lighting manufacturers are busy designing and launching new products.  Marketing and product material has needed to keep up with the demand. If you then factor in localization and transcreation for international markets, then the marketer’s role becomes even more challenging.

What’s special about lighting industry marketing?

In short, accuracy, quality and speed. Enormous effort and resources go into product design and subsequently BROCHURE DESIGN. So when brochures are transcreated into different languages, the layout of every page has to be skillfully completed. For instance text expansion, 30% in the case of German and Norwegian, is just one of many issues that arise when creating a new language brochure artwork.

A professional translator with extensive experience and understanding of lighting terminology, products and the industry in general, should translate the brochure text. The translator should only translate into their mother tongue and also live in the specified country. Triple edited ISO 9001:2008 translation is highly recommended.

SPEED TO MARKET, both product and marketing, is vital to achieve success in this ever-changing lighting industry because competition is huge and global.

12-year reputation for lighting sector transcreation

Marketing managers trust us to deliver multi-language versions of their lighting brochures, data sheets and catalogues. We have an established ‘lighting sector’ team that offers exceptional personal service to international lighting companies.

A blog by APR* discusses how to save 80% on transcreation costs

‘Conventional wisdom tells us that bundling services with one vendor is a great way to create efficiency and lower costs.  The more work that you bring a vendor the better their prices will be, as they will lower costs to account for the increased volume of work.  That concept holds true in nearly every phase of commercial production except for transcreation, when bundling services can actually increase your costs – often times exponentially.

Transcreation is the process of creating versions of a spot for different markets, while maintaining the original spot’s intent, style, tone and context.  If you’re using the same post-production house that created your original spot (we’ll call them “creative post houses”) to create versions of that spot for different markets, that bundling of services is probably costing you more money.

There are a variety of vendors who exclusively offer transcreation services, some specializing in international markets and others for the US market. What they all have in common is that because transcreation is their exclusive business, they can create a version of an existing spot for a fraction of the cost that your creative post house would charge.

So, what accounts for this vast discrepancy?  A transcreation company has an entirely different business model and different operating costs than a creative post house (I’m using the term “creative post house” to describe both creative editorial houses and VFX/Animation houses).  A top-notch creative post house is concerned with attracting and employing high-level creative talent (editors, colorists, flame artists, etc) because that’s what their business is based on; generating high–end creative work product. That talent is very expensive, and competition for those key people means that a good deal of overhead is spent paying them ever-increasing salaries. Also, an industry leading creative post-house typically has gorgeous offices in great neighborhoods to entertain clients (adding to their overhead). On the other hand, a transcreation company doesn’t do any creative work. Their entire business is replicating existing creative work as accurately as possible.  Consequently, the talent at a transcreation company need only be competent with the software required to do their job, and their creative ability doesn’t factor in, making them considerably cheaper to employ.

A good analogy for this phenomenon is found in the generic drug market.  The brand that first creates a drug and brings it to market spends an immense amount of money on R&D, FDA testing, scientists and other personnel, facilities, marketing, etc.  But, once the formula has been established and the drug is brought to market, anyone who can follow a recipe can make the same exact drug for a fraction of the investment. That’s why branded drugs cost so much more than generics for the same product. And, that’s why a transcreation company can take an original spot that cost a great deal of money to make, and copy the existing formula for a fraction of the cost.

So, have a closer look at your adaptations or versioning costs & explore other options. I’m not talking about a tidy 20% savings, but often times the same version can be created by a transcreation vendor for a whopping 80 – 90% savings over what your creative post house or agency is charging for the exact same version of an existing spot.’

*Posted on March 29, 2013 by aprcoblog (Advertising Production Resources, Denver Colorado)

Sharing our multilingual marketing projects

Click here to see our Pinterest Page

LF Comms now has its own Pinterest page, a visual snapshot of the marketing material we’re creating for clients selling their services and products across international and EMEA markets.

Our board titles include ‘Meet the LF Comms team’, ‘Useful blogs about translation’ and ‘Client Brochures and Marketing’. Our client, The European Parkinson’s Disease Association has its own board, with photographs of their first European Unity Walk which took place last September in Amsterdam.

Business Translation & Language Graphic Design

Everything we produce is visual. All our B2B marketing projects are created in desktop publishing software Adobe InDesign, the format we recommend for producing multilingual business communications and campaigns.

Combining the skills of graphic designers and ISO 9001:2008 translators, we create language versions of marketing literature such as brochures, datasheets and catalogues that are then either printed or uploaded as online pdfs. Projects can range from 3-43 languages.

As we complete new client projects, these will be added to the LF Comms boards, so watch our Pinterest space – http://pinterest.com/lfcomms/

Multi-language artwork design – don’t try DIY

For a change I’m going to publish a promotional blog. If you’re an SME looking for help with taking your marketing global, an artwork production agency is the perfect partner.

Many SMEs are looking beyond the UK for new customers and need help with adapting their marketing materials. Language skills often exist within the company and using these will reduce costs. In-house graphic design talent may have already created the marketing material but LANGUAGES ARE A WHOLE DIFFERENT WORLD.

Specialists exist because they do things others can’t do as well

We all pay specialists to do certain tasks for us because in the long term it saves us time, money and the outcome is superior. By choosing LF Comms to create your EMEA brochure, catalogue, data-sheet or flyer projects, you no longer have to worry. It will be perfect, first time.

There’s competition but we’re the best

Compared to larger agencies we are competitive on price, artwork quality, speed and personal service. Compared to overseas providers we outperform on first-time quality, project management, project strategy/communication and time zone convenience.

For SMEs looking for cost-efficient, friendly, straightforward, international marketing expertise, we really are the perfect partner.

Int’l marketing teams use collaboration tools

I recently joined a webcast organised by Huddle (www.huddle.com) that discussed how its software collaboration platform helps international marketing teams to communicate. Huddles’ information coordination tool, enables central and regional marketing teams to effectively share, edit and approve multi-language marketing, PR and advertising documents/projects. The presentation also discussed the subject of email and its future role in business communication.

The decline of email

Image supplied by Huddle*

Will future generations use email at all?

Email is currently the primary source of business communication, but the slide above (comscore) suggests the next generation are less willing or used to using email. There’s been a significant decrease in the use of web-based emails in the under-24 age group, with only the 55-64-age group showing an increase.

Spam, spam and more spam!

A surprisingly low 14% (mimecast) of emails received are relevant to the recipient and the time taken to read, sift and sort the emails is a personal and corporate waste of money and effort. So, will email be dead in 5 years time and if so, how will we successfully communicate on a B2B basis in the future?

Is the future social?

Social media (facebook, linked-in), instant messaging, intranets, cloud-based mail systems and collaborative tools look like they will increasingly become more relevant to business communication in the future.

International companies in particular, need to create a communication environment that offers security, efficiency and ease of use for all its employees, across all borders. The change to a less email based and a more immediate, relevant and social communication process is likely to be driven by the next generation of business communicators.

* The enterprise collaboration platform

Are you wondering what to put on your Christmas list or what to buy your friends? I’d recommend Webs of Influence, The psychology of online persuasion by Nathalie Nahai.

I'd recommend this book to any marketer

It’s a really interesting read about the secret strategies that make us click. So whether you want to use this insight to improve your own website or you’d like to understand what subconscious elements influence us to buy online, it’s the perfect book.

Last month I attended a fascinating presentation by Nathalie Nahai (http://www.thewebpsychologist.com/) about how we’re persuaded to buy online and how psychology influences our choices. Having talked to her and read her book, I would highly recommend it. Research supported and with excellent case studies, it’s divided into three easy to dip into sections:

• Know who you’re targeting
• Communicate persuasively
• Sell with integrity

£9.59 from Amazon, good reviews and a graphic video

Combining business, psychology and social media, the book explains the importance of online risk, trust and privacy. It all reveals how age, gender, friends and where in the world we live, all influence online engagement.

Blue vs Yellow

Supported by many academic references, it also discusses the design of websites and how we relate to them, as well as digging deeper into the impact images, videos and colour have on us. For instance, blue has universal appeal denoting trust, security and wealth, whilst yellow is least liked, suggesting excitement but also danger and wariness.

Over 100 million non-English speakers online

For international websites, there’s an analysis about how global brands Coca-Cola and McDonalds have designed culture specific websites in each country, sometimes even by region.

Implement the recommendations in 2013

If you would like some very valuable tips from a digital strategist who is a guru in psychology, this is a very useful marketing tool. Put it on your Christmas list and receive or buy a really useful Christmas present this year!

Enjoy and Happy Christmas.

Lesley.cameron@lfcommsgroup.com

….. and close their streets for Parkinson’s

EPDA’s 1^st Unity Walk is a total success!

The European Parkinson’s Disease Association’s first European Unity Walk took place last Friday 28^th September, with over 750 supporters walking through the streets of Amsterdam.

Lizzie inspects the banner

The Unity Walk was organized to raise awareness of Parkinson’s disease and to highlight the work of the EPDA in their support for sufferers all across Europe. The sun shone, the band played and as a volunteer, I helped guide (banner in hand) the walkers safely through the city streets, avoiding the trams, cars and cyclists.

It was a truly international event with individuals and groups from all over Europe coming together to support the EPDA. It is hoped this is just the first of many EPDA European Unity walks.

Lizzie Graham (pictured above) is the Director of Fundraising & Global Communications and has been a key driver of the Unity Walk for the past year.  Amanda Worpole is Secretary General at the EPDA.

Lesley & Amanda prepare to walk!

Four fabulous videos of the event

www.youtube.com/theEPDA

Cross-Media 2012 – developing multi-channel marketing campaigns

We know paper is biodegradable, recyclable and its raw material is renewable but did you appreciate printing can also REDUCE your carbon footprint!

By using paper that’s been produced and distributed by the World Land Trust*, print has now become one of the most sustainable forms of communication available. Compare that to the gigantic air-conditioning systems keeping the digital world cool and online and print communication is looking surprisingly like the environmentally-friendly hero.

Printing reduces your carbon footprint

Print plays a vital role in Cross-Media communication

Andy McKenzie of the Colchester Print Group explained to me about Carbon Balanced Papers at this month’s Cross-Media exhibition held in London at the Business Design Centre. The main topic of discussion at the exhibition was the benefits of having a balanced, integrated marketing campaign and the positive impact of incorporating print media.

What’s Carbon Balanced Paper**?

It’s paper for which the carbon impact of the production and distribution process has been balanced, or offset, by the World Land Trust* – an international conservation charity. Andy clarified that the carbon dioxide emitted in the manufacture and delivery of their papers is offset by the purchase (via donation) of ecologically important land. Customers simply select from a range of papers where the cost of carbon balancing has already been pre-paid.

‘Printing that doesn’t cost the earth’ great strapline Andy!

*www.worldlandtrust.org

**www.carbonbalancedpaper.com

www.colchesterprint.com

lesley.cameron@lfcommsgroup.com

In the context of the greatest sporting event of all time, yes the 2012 London Olympics is totally amazing, you may be forgiven for missing the slow rise of the production agency profile.

Production covers advertising, TV and online services but there’s still a huge volume of below the line content being created by ‘below-stairs’ teams that ADAPT AND LANGUAGE VERSION those beautiful brochures, catalogues, magazines, as well as the more functional data-sheets and manuals.

The de-coupling of agencies, the separation of creative from implementation, is certainly on the increase and is most probably driven by the lack of transparency of advertising and creative agency fees. Here’s a link to Paul Simons’ interesting article ‘The march of the production specialist through de-coupling threatens key ad agency revenue stream’

What about the SME’s?

For every major international brand, there are hundreds if not thousands of smaller companies with European and global communication requirements. So hopefully, with all this publicity about de-coupling, international marketing teams will realize they can simply go direct to production agencies like us for their global marketing implementation, instead of using their more expensive advertising and creative agencies.

Lesley Cameron – Lesley.cameron@lfcommsgroup.com

01959 560521 – 07766 567986

Looking to improve marketing efficiency?

Accountable allocation of the marketing budget is essential in these challenging economic times but finding new ways to save money or achieve more with it, are difficult.

When it comes to GLOBAL PUBLICATIONS, separating the creative design from the implementation (translation and multi-language typesetting) can deliver better value (lower costs) and improved performance (quality and speed). Sure, it takes a little effort to bring on board another supplier but de-coupling concept/creative from translation/multi-language artwork production, is a natural divide and it brings about total transparency of where your money goes.

Split creative from implementation

Using a single agency with global reach may make you feel comfortable but chances are it comes at a far higher price than you think. The benefits of using a separate agency with exclusive multi-language design experience, international font libraries, artwork creation technologies, business sector specific professional translators, multi-language proof-readers and quality control assessors, will lower costs without any loss of brand control.

Transparency = reduced costs

Splitting creative design from production and insisting on transparency of charges, will reduce costs. Speed to market is also vastly improved with a centralized production hub and each stage is far easier to plan, monitor and control, empowering the marketer. You’ll probably find the agencies work harder too, each team able to focus on their area of expertise.

Join many international brands who are already using the de-coupled agency approach to produce their global publications and stretch your marketing budget further than you ever thought possible.

lesley.cameron@lfcommsgroup.com

01959 560521

LFCOMMSGROUP