Expanding your business internationally is an exciting opportunity, but it comes with its own set of challenges. For UK businesses, one of the biggest hurdles is making sure your message is understood clearly across languages and cultures. Even minor translation mistakes can confuse customers, damage your credibility, or result in missed opportunities. Understanding the common translation challenges and knowing how to tackle them is key to successful global communication.
Here are seven of the common translation errors we see that you can avoid by using a quality translation service.
A common mistake in translation is losing the intended context or tone. Words that resonate in English may carry a different meaning, or none at all, in another language. A literal translation might deliver the right words, but it can fail to convey the emotion, style, or nuance of your brand. For instance, marketing slogans that sound catchy in English may fall flat or even be misinterpreted in other languages.
When attempting to expand to new markets in it's early history, KFC attempted to market it's customary slogan "Finger-lickin' good" in China after using the slogan for over 64 years. Due to a translation error, the new slogan in China roughly translated to "Eat your fingers off". Luckily, this did not stop the brand from expanding internationally, but rushed translation jobs can cause serious issues, especially with businesses who sell more serious services or products than fried chicken.
How to solve it: Work with translators who understand both the language and the culture. Professionals can adapt your messaging to ensure it sounds natural, appropriate, and engaging to the target audience. Cultural awareness is just as important as linguistic accuracy.
Businesses in technical, legal, or highly specialised industries face another challenge: consistency. Using different terms for the same concept across materials can confuse clients, employees, or partners. This is especially problematic for contracts, manuals, or online content, where even a small inconsistency can lead to misunderstandings.
A contract between Rogers Communications and Bell Aliant included a single comma that changed how a termination clause could be interpreted, leading to a dispute worth millions of dollars. The situation was further complicated by the existence of both English and French versions of the contract, where wording differences affected how the clause was read. The case highlights why professional translation matters in legal and highly specialised fields: when terminology, structure, or punctuation is not handled consistently across languages, it can create ambiguity, undermine intent, and expose organisations to serious financial and legal risk.
How to solve it: Develop a company glossary or style guide for your key terms. Share it with translators to ensure consistent use across all communications. This not only maintains clarity but also strengthens brand recognition internationally.
Translation isn’t just about words. It’s about culture. Idioms, humor, and even color symbolism can vary widely across countries. What works well in the UK may not resonate or could even offend in another market. Ignoring cultural differences can make your brand appear out of touch or culturally insensitive.
A well-known example of cultural misalignment is Gerber’s use of baby imagery on food packaging in African markets. While the image conveyed care and trust in Western markets, it conflicted with local packaging norms where labels typically show the product itself. The result wasn’t a translation error, but a cultural one. This illustrates why translation is about more than words: without cultural insight into symbolism, humour, and visual cues, even well-intentioned branding can confuse audiences and make a company appear out of touch.
How to solve it: Invest in localisation alongside translation. A professional translation service can tailor content to reflect local customs, behaviours, and preferences, making your message relatable and effective. This approach goes beyond words and ensures your brand connects with local audiences.
Time pressures can tempt businesses to cut corners on translation. Relying on machine translations alone or under-qualified translators can result in mistakes, awkward phrasing, or unclear instructions. Poor translations can frustrate customers, damage your reputation, and even result in lost revenue.
A common consequence of rushed or low-quality translation can be seen in early examples from IKEA’s international expansion. In an effort to scale quickly, some product instructions were translated without sufficient review, resulting in awkward phrasing and unclear assembly guidance. While often treated humorously, these issues caused genuine customer frustration and increased support costs. The example illustrates a broader risk: when businesses prioritise speed or cost over translation quality, the result is not just imperfect language, but unclear communication that can damage trust, usability, and revenue.
How to solve it: Prioritise quality over speed. Allocate sufficient time for professional translation and proofreading. Experienced translators familiar with your industry can deliver accurate, polished, and natural content that meets your business standards.
Certain documents, such as contracts, patents, or technical manuals, require precise language. Even minor errors can have serious consequences, including legal disputes, compliance issues, or operational mistakes.
A well-known example of the consequences of imprecise technical documentation is NASA’s Mars Climate Orbiter mission. In 1999, the spacecraft was lost because one engineering team used imperial units while another used metric units, and the discrepancy was not identified in the supporting documentation or data exchange. The result was a navigation error that caused the spacecraft to enter Mars’ atmosphere at the wrong altitude and disintegrate, costing an estimated $125 million. While not a translation error in the linguistic sense, the incident demonstrates how even small inconsistencies in technical language and specifications can have catastrophic consequences. It highlights why technical manuals, engineering documentation, and regulated materials require absolute precision and specialist expertise.
How to solve it: Work with translators who specialise in legal or technical content. A professional translation service ensures that your materials are accurate, compliant, and clear, protecting both your business and your clients.
Marketing campaigns are another area where translation mistakes can be costly. A poorly translated advertisement, website, or social media post can confuse potential customers or damage your brand’s image. Translating marketing content requires understanding both the language and the target audience’s preferences, expectations, and cultural norms.
A well-known example of the risks of poor marketing translation is Dolce & Gabbana’s 2018 campaign in China. The brand released promotional videos intended to be humorous, but the language, tone, and cultural framing were widely perceived as condescending and out of touch. Translated captions and messaging failed to account for local expectations and sensitivities, amplifying negative reactions rather than supporting the brand’s intent. The resulting backlash led to cancelled events and significant reputational and commercial damage. The case shows that marketing translation is not just about accuracy, but about understanding the target audience’s cultural norms, values, and sense of humour.
How to solve it: Combine translation with transcreation which involves adapting your message creatively to maintain its impact. A translation service experienced in marketing can help you communicate effectively while preserving brand voice and appeal.
Many UK businesses struggle with maintaining consistency across multiple platforms: websites, social media, email campaigns, and printed materials. Discrepancies in terminology, tone, or style can undermine professionalism and confuse audiences.
Many UK businesses encounter challenges when trying to maintain consistent language across websites, social media, email campaigns, and printed materials. A commonly cited example is British Airways’ early digital communications, where differing tones across channels reflected a lack of centralised language control. While the brand maintained a formal voice on its website, social media messaging was often more informal, leading to mixed signals for customers. The example highlights how discrepancies in tone and terminology across platforms can undermine professionalism and weaken brand clarity, particularly when content is produced quickly or by multiple teams.
How to solve it: Centralise your translation efforts. Use a professional translation service to manage all content in one system. Provide style guides, glossaries, and reference materials to maintain consistency and strengthen your brand’s international presence.
Translation challenges are common, but they are not insurmountable. By understanding the key issues—context, tone, terminology, cultural nuances, quality, and technical accuracy, UK businesses can communicate more effectively with global audiences.
Investing in a professional translation service not only addresses these challenges but also ensures your content resonates, strengthens brand credibility, and avoids costly mistakes. With the right approach, your business can confidently expand internationally, reaching new markets while maintaining a clear and professional image.
For more information about what we can provide for your business, get in touch with our sales team at 020 3885 8021.
Tolk has pioneered the interpreting industry since 2015. Our booking system seamlessly matches your unique requirements with an extensive network of professional language services proficient in over 210 languages and dialects. Trusted by over 1000 clients and partners, you can rely on us for tailored expertise regardless of time, place or occasion.
Digital Interpretations UK Ltd
2nd Floor College House
17 King Edwards Road
Ruislip, London
HA4 7AE
United Kingdom
