Krissie, welcome to Martech Cube, before we begin, could you please share your professional journey and how you came to work for RWS?
Thank you!
My career began in the hospitality industry, where I spent 14 years honing my skills in marketing and events. My studies in Events Management at Sheffield Hallam University, with a focus on arts and entertainment, provided a solid foundation for developing and executing successful brand campaigns for various hospitality venues.
I’ve always been driven by a passion for creating meaningful experiences, both personally and professionally. This passion, nurtured by my academic background, aligns seamlessly with my role as a marketer. I thrive on developing innovative marketing strategies and campaigns that resonate with target audiences. The fast-paced hospitality industry has instilled in me the ability to adapt to changing trends and think creatively to maintain audience engagement.
Two years ago, I made a strategic decision to transition to the world of localisation, to gain valuable insights into international marketing and global audience engagement. Having previously worked for independent businesses primarily operating within a single region, I was excited to explore the complexities of global markets.
My first role in this industry was with a localisation provider for major Hollywood studios and streaming services. I was responsible for managing the global events and PR strategy. This experience led me to RWS, where I was attracted by their innovative approach of combining AI-driven technology with human expertise to facilitate global connections. I believe my experience and creative mindset align perfectly with RWS’s mission.
With 16 years of experience in brand marketing, PR, and events, how much progress has AI made in improving the accuracy of language translations for global brands?
AI has made significant strides in improving the accuracy of language translations for global brands over the past decade. Early AI-powered translation tools often produced stilted or inaccurate translations, particularly when dealing with complex nuances, cultural references, and industry-specific terminology.
However, recent advancements in machine learning and neural networks have led to a dramatic improvement in translation quality. These technologies enable AI models to learn from vast amounts of data, including multilingual text and human-translated content. As a result, AI-powered translation tools can now produce more accurate and natural-sounding translations, even for highly specialised content.
While AI has made significant progress, it’s important to note that human expertise remains crucial, especially for sensitive or critical translations. A hybrid approach, combining AI-powered tools with human review, can ensure the highest level of accuracy and cultural appropriateness.
Translation is more than just converting words from one language to another; it’s about conveying meaning and intent within the cultural context of the target audience.
How important is it for AI translations to go beyond literal translations and incorporate cultural context, and at RWS, what do you do to ensure that AI-powered translations stay culturally sensitive?
Effective global marketing transcends translation. To truly resonate with diverse audiences worldwide, brands must embrace cultural linguistics – the nuanced understanding of how language shapes and reflects cultural identity. By striking a balance between brand consistency and cultural sensitivity, businesses can foster deeper connections, build trust, and achieve global marketing success.
To get the best results from your translations, marketers need to combine human expertise with AI-powered tools. Our ‘Genuine Intelligence’ approach emphasises this partnership, ensuring high-quality, culturally relevant translations that resonate with global audiences.
This human-in-the-loop approach involves integrating human translators and reviewers into the AI-powered translation ecosystem, ensuring that the final product meets the highest standards of quality and cultural sensitivity. By leveraging AI and machine learning, our translation solutions are constantly learning and improving, delivering increasingly accurate and nuanced translations over time – backed by the expertise of experienced human translators.
Could you highlight a few challenges that brands face when using AI for translations and what strategies do you inculcate to mitigate these challenges?
One of the key challenges brands encounter with free AI translation tools is the lack of cultural sensitivity and contextual understanding. While AI excels at literal translations, these free online services often fail to capture the nuances of tone, idiomatic expressions, or cultural references that are critical in marketing.
Another issue is the risk of brand voice inconsistency, as AI models can sometimes produce outputs that deviate from the intended style or messaging. To mitigate these challenges, I emphasise the importance of human oversight. By combining AI’s efficiency with expert linguists who refine and localise the content, brands can maintain accuracy and cultural relevance.
In global marketing, how do you balance AI-driven translations with localized, culturally relevant marketing content?
The key to balancing AI-driven translations with localised, culturally relevant marketing content lies in a hybrid approach. AI can handle the initial translation to streamline workflows, but the final output should always be reviewed and adapted by local experts who understand the cultural context intimately.
Localisation isn’t just about translating words; it’s about ensuring the message resonates with the target audience, respecting their cultural values, and aligning with their preferences.
For example, while AI might efficiently translate a tagline, a local marketer or linguist ensures it carries the intended emotional appeal or avoids unintended connotations. This partnership between AI and human expertise allows brands to leverage the speed of technology without compromising cultural authenticity.
Tell our readers the importance for brands to represent cultural nuances in their marketing strategies.
Cultural nuances are the backbone of effective marketing. When brands acknowledge and integrate these subtleties, they create messages that feel authentic and relatable.
For instance, imagery, humour, or even colour choices can evoke vastly different emotions across cultures. Ignoring these nuances risks alienating or offending audiences. Representing cultural nuances demonstrates respect, builds trust, and fosters stronger connections with consumers. It shows that a brand values diversity and is willing to go beyond surface-level engagement to genuinely understand its audience.
In a globalised market, cultural relevance is often the differentiator between a campaign that simply reaches people and one that truly sticks.
Given the complexities of global culture, what potential risks do brands face if they solely rely on AI translations for marketing materials across different cultural markets?
Relying exclusively on AI translations for marketing materials, especially if the models used are free and readily-available online for anyone to access, can expose brands to significant risks.
Chief among these is the potential for miscommunication. AI lacks the cultural insight required to navigate sensitive topics, resulting in translations that could unintentionally offend or misrepresent the brand.
Additionally, over-reliance on AI can lead to generic messaging that fails to differentiate a brand in competitive markets. This one-size-fits-all approach undermines consumer trust and engagement, as audiences often perceive it as inauthentic.
The consequences can range from reputational damage to lost revenue opportunities. To mitigate these risks, it’s essential for brands to blend AI’s efficiency with the expertise of localisation professionals who ensure content is culturally and contextually appropriate.
How do you at RWS balance maintaining a consistent global brand identity with adapting marketing messages to resonate with local audiences?
We leverage a combination of technology and human expertise, as our team of language professionals, powered by AI-driven technology, allows us to transform content while maintaining brand consistency.
We don’t just translate, we transcreate and localise content to ensure it resonates on an emotional level with local audiences, while still aligning with our global brand message.
How do you envision the ideal relationship between AI and human creativity to look like in global marketing, especially supporting brands in delivering campaigns that are both globally scalable and deeply localized?
The ideal relationship between AI and human creativity in global marketing is symbiotic, leveraging the strengths of both to achieve campaigns that are globally scalable yet profoundly localised.
AI serves as an enabler, offering efficiencies in data processing, trend analysis, and the initial stages of translation and adaptation. It can provide marketers with valuable insights into audience behaviour, preferences, and linguistic trends at scale.
However, human creativity remains indispensable for interpreting these insights, crafting emotionally resonant messaging, and infusing campaigns with cultural authenticity. For instance, while AI might identify a high-performing phrase or visual motif, it takes human expertise to reframe that element in a way that resonates with specific cultural contexts while staying true to the brand’s ethos.
This collaboration allows marketers to balance consistency in global messaging with the adaptability required for local relevance, creating campaigns that feel both universal and personal.
What advice would you give marketers who are new to creating campaigns for global audiences and need to ensure cultural sensitivity?
For marketers new to creating global campaigns, the first step is to adopt a mindset of curiosity and respect for the diverse audiences they aim to reach.
Start by investing time in understanding the cultural, linguistic, and social dynamics of your target markets. Collaborate closely with local teams or experts who have firsthand knowledge of the audience. This collaboration is key to identifying potential cultural sensitivities and opportunities for meaningful engagement.
Additionally, avoid assuming that what works in one market will translate seamlessly to another; instead, treat each region as unique, with its own needs and values. Leveraging tools like AI can help streamline research and initial translations, but always validate outputs with local experts.
Most importantly, be open to feedback and iterative learning—global marketing is an ongoing dialogue, not a one-time effort.
Krissie Petfield, Head of HAI Marketing at RWS
Krissie is the Head of Marketing for HAI, RWS's AI-powered online translation portal. A creative marketing leader, she's passionate about fostering meaningful connections with audiences. Krissie constantly strives to be at the forefront of marketing tactics, implementing innovative strategies to bring compelling narratives to life and drive user engagement. LinkedIn.