"Think Global, Translate Local": Transcreation as a Communication Strategy for Brands in the Global Marketplace

Translation has developed into an interdisciplinary practice. In today’s global marketplace, its role has become central within marketing and advertising communication, where brands must address audiences across linguistic and cultural boundaries while remaining consistent and recognizable. Brand communication, however, is not limited to verbal texts: it is a complex semiotic system in which words interact with images, symbols, cultural references, and other multimodal elements. For this reason, translation in this field often requires an intersemiotic approach, aimed at recreating meaning and persuasive effect, rather than reproducing the form. The practice of transcreation is most often employed in this context. It has emerged as a target-oriented consulting service that bridges linguistic and cultural gaps to recreate the effect of the original message. In this way, brand communication can resonate with local audiences without losing its core identity. This thesis explores transcreation in the global marketplace, focusing in particular on two Florentine brands rooted in local traditions. Through a comparative analysis, it examines how these brands adapt their communication for international audiences, highlighting challenges and opportunities of using transcreation as a strategic tool for translating authenticity in the global marketplace.