Date: November 2008
Client: Guerlain
Agency: World Writers
Job: Product Commercial (Copywriting Test Part 3)
Adaptation & Backtranslation of:
- Advertisement headline
- Advertisement copy
Why I Wrote What I Wrote:
The last of the WW copywriting test – adaptation and backtranslation for Guerlain's SUCCESS FUTURE Wrinkle Minimizer & Firming Pure Amber Extract ad copy.
This was the tougher of the lot as I was grappling with the technical terms of beauty products. Nevertheless, managed to tidy up headline and copy for both adaptation and backtranslation.
娇兰SUCCESS FUTURE纯琥珀精华抗皱紧肤霜
Guerlain SUCCESS FUTURE Wrinkle Minimizer & Firming Pure Amber Extract
琥珀－含有大自然自古能量的奥妙。娇兰研究院提取它独特的精华，并提炼出琥珀抗皱紧肤霜。它能让轮廓显得更有曲线美。
Amber - a marvel of nature that encapsulates an age-old energy. Extracting its exceptional powers, Guerlain Research perfected the Pure Amber Extract, which re-defines the natural facial contours.
Status: Completed
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Reebok
Date: November 2008
Client: Reebok
Agency: World Writers
Job: Product Commercial (Copywriting Test Part 2)
Adaptation & Backtranslation of:
- Advertisement headline
Why I Wrote What I Wrote:
Here's the second part of the WW copywriting test – to do an adaptation and backtranslation for the headline of this Reebok ad.
Original headline read "Puts his kids and teams to bed." The purpose of this phrase was to present to consumers the dual sides of the ambassador for the brand; both a great player and a good family man. However, putting the two together in the same sentence seemed a little awkward.
As adaptation for the China market, I created couplets (对联) using Reebok's Mandarin name in China, "锐步", featuring odd number of words in each part for easier reading:
锐速击对手 步行牵儿手
锐速击对手 步行牵儿走
For the backtranslation, the two ideas are separated by a comma:
A tournament's jubilation, a father's affection
Status: Completed
Client: Reebok
Agency: World Writers
Job: Product Commercial (Copywriting Test Part 2)
Adaptation & Backtranslation of:
- Advertisement headline
Why I Wrote What I Wrote:
Here's the second part of the WW copywriting test – to do an adaptation and backtranslation for the headline of this Reebok ad.
Original headline read "Puts his kids and teams to bed." The purpose of this phrase was to present to consumers the dual sides of the ambassador for the brand; both a great player and a good family man. However, putting the two together in the same sentence seemed a little awkward.
As adaptation for the China market, I created couplets (对联) using Reebok's Mandarin name in China, "锐步", featuring odd number of words in each part for easier reading:
锐速击对手 步行牵儿手
锐速击对手 步行牵儿走
For the backtranslation, the two ideas are separated by a comma:
A tournament's jubilation, a father's affection
Status: Completed
Glenfiddich
Date: November 2008
Client: Glenfiddich
Agency: World Writers
Job: Branding Commercial (Copywriting Test Part 1)
Adaptation & Backtranslation of:
- Advertisement tagline
- Advertisement copy
Why I Wrote What I Wrote:
Was approached by World Writers London to be registered under the company as a freelance copywriter. With it was an assessment on my abilities; this is the first instalment – to do an adaptation from the original English copy to Mandarin, then doing a backtranslation to English again.
Read the original copy provided and watched their ad on YouTube to get a feel of their company image. The ad had several lines running through the visuals:
A day is a step, a year is a tango
A day is a tourist, a year is a traveler
A day is frustration, a year is a melody
A day is a thought, a year is a philosophy
I decided on "A day is a thought. A year is a philosophy." as the amended headline for the ad to make it (i) more elegant, (ii) link up the ad and the company, and (iii) bring out a point that makes more publicity sense compared to the existing "A DAY SAYS CRAZY A YEAR SAYS GENIUS". Did a major overhaul of the original copy for the adaptation and the backtranslation to make them more elegant.
Headline Option 1:
A day is a thought. A year is a philosophy.
一天的思潮。一年的信念。
Headline Option 2:
In a day a thought. In a year a philosophy.
一天里的思潮。一年里的信念。
Ending quote:
Glenfiddich. Every year counts.
Glenfiddich。连年精酿。
Status: Completed
Client: Glenfiddich
Agency: World Writers
Job: Branding Commercial (Copywriting Test Part 1)
Adaptation & Backtranslation of:
- Advertisement tagline
- Advertisement copy
Why I Wrote What I Wrote:
Was approached by World Writers London to be registered under the company as a freelance copywriter. With it was an assessment on my abilities; this is the first instalment – to do an adaptation from the original English copy to Mandarin, then doing a backtranslation to English again.
Read the original copy provided and watched their ad on YouTube to get a feel of their company image. The ad had several lines running through the visuals:
A day is a step, a year is a tango
A day is a tourist, a year is a traveler
A day is frustration, a year is a melody
A day is a thought, a year is a philosophy
I decided on "A day is a thought. A year is a philosophy." as the amended headline for the ad to make it (i) more elegant, (ii) link up the ad and the company, and (iii) bring out a point that makes more publicity sense compared to the existing "A DAY SAYS CRAZY A YEAR SAYS GENIUS". Did a major overhaul of the original copy for the adaptation and the backtranslation to make them more elegant.
Headline Option 1:
A day is a thought. A year is a philosophy.
一天的思潮。一年的信念。
Headline Option 2:
In a day a thought. In a year a philosophy.
一天里的思潮。一年里的信念。
Ending quote:
Glenfiddich. Every year counts.
Glenfiddich。连年精酿。
Status: Completed
Saturday, November 8, 2008
Stella Artois
*PERSONAL PROJECT*
Date: October 2008
Company: Stella Artois
Job: MRT Ad Taglines (Mandarin Translation)
Concepts Copy: See below taglines and translations
Why I Wrote What I Wrote:
Saw Stella Artois' latest ad campaign on the train; liked the way the copy sounded and wanted to try my hand at translating the taglines to Mandarin, so here they are:
Ordinary lagers do cost less. That's why they're ordinary.
普通啤酒的确较便宜，因而才普通。
Expensive until you try it.
直试为贵。
For the last one, I'd wanted to use 完美的代价 but was informed that was more suitable for beauty services or products. Thus I amended it to:
Perfection has its price.
纯酿的代价。
Status: Completed
Date: October 2008
Company: Stella Artois
Job: MRT Ad Taglines (Mandarin Translation)
Concepts Copy: See below taglines and translations
Why I Wrote What I Wrote:
Saw Stella Artois' latest ad campaign on the train; liked the way the copy sounded and wanted to try my hand at translating the taglines to Mandarin, so here they are:
Ordinary lagers do cost less. That's why they're ordinary.
普通啤酒的确较便宜，因而才普通。
Expensive until you try it.
直试为贵。
For the last one, I'd wanted to use 完美的代价 but was informed that was more suitable for beauty services or products. Thus I amended it to:
Perfection has its price.
纯酿的代价。
Status: Completed
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