Not your average translation agency
Language Services for Marketing & Advertising
Branded Translations is a boutique agency, helping brands engage international and multicultural audiences through expert localization of marketing and advertising content.
It is this specialization, coupled with a global network of pre-vetted native linguists, that makes us different from a typical Language Service Provider (LSP). We are marketeers at heart who understand the importance of quality creative that remains on brand when localized for multicultural audiences. We bring an international mindset and cultural sensitivity coupled with global experience and language skills to every project.
The services we offer are there to help refine our clients’ creative, optimizing it for international or multicultural audiences. Whether you’re part of a company with global growth ambitions or an ad agency driving those aspirations, we’d love to help you with expert localization. We work with all branded creative—be it in words, strategy or design.
By marketers. For Marketers.
Founded by two partners, looking for a better way to localize creative content
Branded Translations was founded in 2012, born out of frustration with the lack of options for localizing a creative ad campaign. On one hand you could have a translator localize your carefully crafted copy, often resulting in a direct translation that lost its creative power. Or, you could hire a foreign ad agency to develop your campaign specifically for that market, which often meant new [or worse, disconnected] campaign creative that is charged accordingly.
At Branded Translations we respect our clients’ brand and creative. Our design focus is on adaptation rather than re-creation. And our native linguists (often copywriters) focus on transcreation rather than ‘word-for-word’ translation, resulting in localized creative that is on brand, as persuasive and effective as the original.
Maarten Löbker
Partner & Lead Brand Consultant
Maarten is a senior marketing and advertising professional with over two decades of experience in building brands and developing global campaigns. He has led the brand strategy for Fortune 500 organizations and held several international marketing positions in the US and Europe.
Born and educated in The Netherlands, Maarten is fluent in English, Dutch, German and Spanish. His international work experience spans markets in North & South America, Europe, Asia and the former Soviet Union.
Anna Löbker-Martyrosian
Partner & Head of Operations
Anna is an accomplished HR professional with experience in virtually every aspect of running an effective personnel department. She has worked across many industries for both start-up and Fortune 500 organizations. Her specialty is global sourcing, recruiting and managing talent. Anna personally screens, tests and works with every linguist before they are placed on assignment. It is her resourcefulness and attention to detail that allow us to provide the highest level of quality.
Anna has lived in the US, Armenia and Spain, and speaks three languages.
Latest articles from Branded Translations:
Borderless Branding: The Importance of Cultural Awareness in Global Advertising
A frequently overlooked aspect in localization is culture and its influence on consumer preference and behavior. In this article we will break down key cultural differences and demonstrate how you can adapt your message. Whether you’re localizing a campaign or refining your global brand strategy, these insights will help you create content that feels authentic and relevant to your audience.
Exploring Cultural Nuances in Advertising Design
Design styles are often unique to certain regions of the world. Understanding these cultural design differences (and finding the right balance with your brand) can have a big impact on how well your advertising creative is received, recalled and acted on.
Understanding Translation, Transcreation and Localization in Marketing
In this brief article we explain the key differences between translation, transcreation, and localization in marketing. It describes how translation focuses on accuracy, transcreation adapts messaging creatively for emotional impact, and localization ensures cultural and technical alignment with a target market.
Can’t Read, Won’t Buy
Summary of a Common Sense Advisory landmark study, highlighting the critical importance of localizing marketing content to align with consumers’ linguistic and cultural preferences. This article highlights key data points, suggesting that localized advertising generates much higher engagement and purchase intent than ads that are not localized.
How good is machine translation for localizing advertising copy?
In this article we run a quick test to see how good machine translation is in localizing creative advertising content. While AI tools have improved tremendously, they are not consistent, and some creative choices can only be made by a human.