International Advertising: Made Better with Voice-Overs and Subtitles

Old-school advertising rarely considered the importance of language. If a company in the United States wished to reach more audiences, they advertise in English, as the population of foreign speakers was relatively smaller. Nowadays, the growing significance of the internet and social media drives advertisers to reach as many audiences around the world as they can — depending on the type of services or products offered, of course. As more companies aim to be internationally relevant, the demand for voice talents and professional software localisation services also rises. After all, multi-language voice-overs draw more attention and retention from audiences worldwide.

The Walt Disney Approach

Consider Walt Disney Studios and their films. Almost everyone in the world knows the lyrics to Frozen’s ‘Let It Go’. Why is that? Disney is a good example of a business that takes translation and voice-overs seriously. Their productions are not limited to English only; their productions also come in German, Italian, French, Japanese and Spanish. Other popular films such as 101 Dalmatians, Alice in Wonderland and Beauty and the Beast are available in Swedish and Dutch languages, while The Jungle Book and Ice Age: Collision Course released Hindi versions. As a result, the studio successfully hit one target market after the other. Judging from the success of Walt Disney Studios, their approach obviously works.

Going International: The Challenge

Businesses who want to make it big outside their local reach should consider marketing in different languages. It helps to make company videos and ads available in select translations. Companies new to the industry can also look into the global reach for customers. With the internet on their side, knowing their audience and finding the perfect service is easier and more convenient. When it comes to advertising, brands and companies still have plenty of factors to consider. Language should be part of the to-do list because winning more hearts is possible — in the form of voice-overs and subtitles.