Translation mistakes that hurt global brands (and how to avoid them)

Artificial intelligence has simplified translation across multiple languages, but the technology isn’t perfect—and human translators don’t always get it right, either. Mistakes can lead to confusion, perceptions of cultural insensitivity, and a damaged brand reputation.

Unfortunately, many companies learn the hard way that a wrong translation can be far more damaging than no translation at all. It erodes trust and alienates potential customers.

This guide will examine the most common translation errors and provide actionable solutions so you can avoid mistranslations and ensure your message resonates across languages and cultures. 

10 translation fails that hurt global brands

No company intends to offend large groups of potential customers when they accidentally make careless translation errors, but good intentions can’t save them from the consequences. A single bad translation can derail years of marketing efforts.

Here are ten common mistakes in translation that can hinder your efforts to attract new customers:

1. Unfinished localization efforts

One of the biggest translation mistakes a business can make is cutting corners during content localization. Essential info may go untranslated, or customer-facing content may mix languages in confusing ways. This disjointed user experience can confuse and frustrate customers, ultimately undermining trust.

2. Failure to define and protect key brand terminology

The terms used to describe a brand (e.g., slogans, product names, and core values) are essential for establishing its identity. Inconsistent use of brand-specific terms can muddy the waters and confuse your audience, leading to diminished trust and decreased sales.

To overcome this challenge, create a glossary of branded terms in each target language. This helps translators keep your brand’s voice consistent across each market. In your glossary, make sure to define the term, add its part of speech (noun, verb, adjective, etc.), and share any notes you’d want translators to know. Not only will a glossary help you protect your brand message and maintain customer trust, but it can also speed up translations by ensuring translators have all the context they need to get started.

3. Literal translations that miss idiomatic meanings

Word-for-word translations are some of the most frequent and damaging errors. Literal translations fail to capture languages’ unique idioms, metaphors, and cultural expressions. In addition, common phrases in English may sound ridiculous or even offensive when translated literally into another language.

Many brands turn to Smartling’s transcreation services to make sure every translated phrase sounds natural to global audiences. Transcreation provides polished, adapted translations for idiomatic expressions that preserve context and cultural relevance.

4. Ignoring cultural nuances

Language isn’t the only way communication varies across cultures. Cultural nuances affect how people interpret imagery, colors, and humor. Even people who speak the same language or live in the same area may have different perceptions of certain words or topics. Multicultural marketing requires careful research and planning to avoid errors. 

5. Inappropriate register and tone

Customers’ expectations regarding brand voice vary significantly across cultures and circumstances. To attract and retain customers, you must understand contextually appropriate communication styles for each medium and language, such as using a casual tone for social media posts, a professional tone for press releases, and the correct politeness register for customer communications. Tonal mismatches can result in confusing, nonsensical, or even disrespectful messaging that alienates potential customers. 

6. Inconsistent terminology

Using different terms to explain the same concept across translated materials can confuse your audience and diminish the credibility of your message. This problem is especially prevalent when multiple translators work on a large project without a centralized glossary or style guide. Maintain comprehensive linguistic assets to prevent such errors, and consider reviewing them regularly so you can be sure that new concepts or terms are translated consistently moving forward. 

7. Misinterpretations of ambiguous words

Every language has words that carry multiple meanings depending on the context. Translation errors often occur when translators misinterpret these ambiguities. Translators need the proper context to accurately understand and convey a word’s intended meaning. 

8. Unclear intent

The meaning of larger phrases and sentences can also vary in different contexts. To avoid translation errors, translators must understand the content’s purpose, the target audience, and the overall message.

9. Inadequate review

Even the most skilled translators make mistakes. Quality review processes help identify and correct these errors. A thorough review by native speakers and subject-matter experts verifies accuracy and catches mistranslations before they reach your audience.

10. Miscommunication during localization

Poor communication between brands and their translation partners can be a significant source of mistranslations. Clients are more likely to receive poor translations if they don’t answer translators’ queries or if they fail to provide clear context, instructions, and glossaries. Regular collaboration and clear briefs help translators understand the brand’s goals and intent.

Overcoming mistakes in translation: 6 ways to stay on track

A proactive and strategic approach minimizes translation failures. Here are six ways to produce high-quality translations that resonate across markets:

Carefully plan translations for a consistent experience

Seamless localization starts with a well-defined strategy. A marketing translation plan guarantees your brand’s message remains consistent and culturally aligned across all touchpoints, from website content and promotional emails to customer support and product documentation.

Build your ideal translation mix for every content type

Tailor your translation approach for different content types, such as marketing copy, social media posts, or technical manuals. Marketing content, for example, needs to be adapted for idiomatic appeal, while technical documents demand precision. A flexible translation mix should incorporate machine translation for high-volume, low-impact content, reserving human translators for sensitive or high-visibility content.

Research linguistic and cultural nuances

Before entering a new market, thoroughly research its linguistic differences and cultural nuances to avoid poor translations. Investigate local customs, slang, values, humor, and sensitivities. Localizing your content this way promotes relevant and respectful translations that enhance audience connection.

Set up internal review and QA processes

Establishing a comprehensive review and quality assurance process to maintain high-quality translations. Seek out native speakers to review the translated content for accuracy, cultural appropriateness, and stylistic consistency.

Smartling’s Linguistic Quality Assurance (LQA) Suite streamlines this process. Companies using Smartling’s translation management system can use the LQA Suite to make quality assessments of translated content easier and more manageable than ever. 

Use the right translation tools

Leverage advanced translation tools for the most accurate and efficient translations. For instance, Smartling’s computer-assisted translation (CAT) tool empowers translators with features like translation memory, which stores previously translated segments to increase consistency and speed, and visual context, which enables real-time previews of how translations will appear within the final design.

Keep linguistic assets updated

Establishing and maintaining linguistic assets ensures consistent brand messaging across markets. It’s a good idea to review your linguistic assets periodically, especially if your organization publishes a high volume of content. Consider checking in on your linguistic assets quarterly or even monthly. 

Consider also using a translation platform that makes it easy for translators to access these assets. For example, Smartling’s LanguageAI™ platform leverages translation memory, style guides, glossaries, and AI-assisted workflows to deliver fast, high-quality translations that preserve your brand positioning.

Marketing translation mistakes to learn from

Marketing translation mistakes can have a lasting impact on consumer trust and turn a brand into the punchline for countless jokes.

HSBC’s 2009 “Assume Nothing” campaign provides a well-known example. Originally intended to convey trust and reliability, that messaging backfired when translations in some markets read as “Do Nothing.” Instead of evoking proactive and insightful financial advice, the mistranslated slogan implied passivity, directly contradicting the bank’s intended brand image. The poorly crafted message resulted in widespread confusion, negative press, and an expensive rebranding effort.

Businesses can prevent such errors from undermining their global campaigns by prioritizing context and cultural sensitivity. Had HSBC utilized Smartling’s transcreation services, it could have adapted the slogan to a culturally appropriate and equally impactful phrase in each region, preserving the brand message while avoiding costly missteps.

Experience high-quality translation, powered by Smartling

Translation mistakes can harm a brand’s reputation, alienate audiences, and lead to costly miscommunications. By learning from past translation errors and implementing robust translation tools like Smartling, businesses can produce clear, culturally relevant messaging across every market.

Smartling’s professional translation services assist businesses across various industries, providing a comprehensive and affordable solution for all their localization needs. Smartling assigns translators with domain expertise to tailored workflows, guaranteeing accurate and relevant translations that are aligned with your business goals.

Ready to transform your global communication strategy? Download our free eBook, “10 Strategies to Boost Translation Efficiency,” and discover how Smartling can help your business avoid bad translations and deliver messaging that connects, engages, and inspires across borders.