Arabic-L:LING:Advertisements Response

[Dilworth B. Parkinson]

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Arabic-L: Mon 02 Aug 1999
Moderator: Dilworth Parkinson <dilworth_parkinson at byu.edu>
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1) Subject: Advertisements Response

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1)
Date: 02 Aug 1999
From: Mutarjm at aol.com
Subject: Advertisements Response

Greetings / tahaiya tayyiba wa b3ad...

Hiyaakum Allah jamii3aan...

Re translations / conversions of English <-> Arabic advertisements

You most probably will not find that the English-original text copy for an
advert would closely match or parallel that in its Arabic rendition.

o  Based on my practice with such advertisements, the into-Arabic
translations (the better and more-culturally-suited ones, at least)  usually
will address simailr themes (i.e., quality or benefits of the product, but
include different treatments, even if the visuals (photos, logos, symbols,
diagrams, et. al.) appear identical in their respective language versions.

o  The better Arabic adverts (those that pass the "giggle test" or "yaa
salaam!...rolling-of-the eyes response" when first read) are effectively
created "from scratch" after the translator(s) can study the English-original
ad and assess its features of the product (especially the complexity of the
subject), clean out imbedded jargon, buzzwords and "corporate-speak"), and
create a "culturized" version suited to the advert's intended Arabic
readership, tastes, and desired response by the readers. So, while the
visuals and graphics may match between the English and Arabic versions, the
text usually does not.

o  Some real clunkers of "quick-and-dirty" translations appear occasionally
in periodicals newly targeted at domestic Arabic-origin readerships in the US
(outside those areas where large and discriminating Arabic populations are
settled).

o  In addition to adverts found in Al-Majalla and Sayidatii, you might check
some of the adverts in issues of "Al-Sharq Al-Awsat" if you are interested
mostly in adverts targeted at general consumers and families.

o  FYI, one fine reference (although out of print, well worth finding and
reading via interlibrary loan) is the 1970s-vintage "McCann-Erickson Middle
East Study" (done by McE's branches in UK or Cyprus, I think) on advertising
preferences and media choices in the Middle East (GCC countries).

o  If you have some other questions re PR, media, advertising, public
diplomacy, impression management, promotions, joint ventures, and marketing
in the GCC region, Turkey and Iran, ahalan wa sahalan... (I research and
lecture on those subjects at a local university).

Hope this helps.

Khair, in sha' Allah.

Regards from Los Angeles,

Stephen H. Franke

E-mail: < mutarjm at aol.com >
           or < shfranke at msn.com >
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End of Arabic-L: 02 Aug 1999