Australian marketing localisation is one of the most underestimated challenges international brands and marketing agencies face when entering the Australian market. The fact that Australia is an English speaking country often leads the brands to believe that the existing British or American copy can simply be reused.
Australian English is not simply British English, nor American English spoken in a different accent. Australian English is defined by a rich vocabulary of slang, idioms, and humour.
A literal translation of marketing materials will lead to damaged credibility, lost leads, and a brand that reads as foreign even when it’s speaking the same language.
Here, we will address the reasons translating everything word-for-word fails for Australian marketing and the ways to get it right.