National PR Campaign for Multicultural Outreach: Case Study

Client Industry:
Advertising/Marketing, Public Relations

Project Overview:
Paragon partnered with a major advertising agency to support a multilingual, intercultural marketing campaign for the 2010 U.S. Census. The project involved linguistic validation, cultural and linguistic consulting, translation, transcreation, back-translation, localization, desktop publishing, and QA testing in over 15 languages. The goal was to raise awareness and drive participation in the Census among diverse Asian language-speaking communities across the U.S.

Languages Involved:
Bengali, Burmese, Cambodian, Cantonese, Chinese (Simplified), Chinese (Traditional), Gujarati, Hindi, Hmong, Japanese, Korean, Laotian, Malayalam, Punjabi, Tagalog, Thai, Urdu, Vietnamese

Project Duration:
2+ years

The Challenge:

The 2010 U.S. Census outreach campaign was one of the largest multilingual efforts ever developed for distribution within the United States. The client was responsible for creating culturally compelling messages targeting Asian language speakers to increase Census participation. Given the scale and complexity of the project, the client faced challenges with managing the large volume of work, tight deadlines, and the diversity of languages and writing systems involved.

With over 50,000 source words and more than 100 pages of desktop publishing work in 15+ languages, the client needed a reliable language services provider to ensure that the creative concepts were adapted with cultural relevance and accuracy. The project also required special attention to different alphabets, character systems, and reading directions.

The Solution:

Paragon provided the essential language support needed to meet the campaign’s demands. Our expertise in cultural and linguistic adaptation allowed us to seamlessly integrate into the client’s workflow and ensure the campaign’s success. Here’s how we approached the project:

• Cultural & Linguistic Analysis (C&L):
  From the outset, Paragon’s C&L team collaborated with the client to assess the English copy. This analysis flagged potential translation challenges, such as idiomatic language that might not translate effectively into other languages. Understanding the client’s style, register, and messaging in English allowed Paragon to deliver precise translations that conveyed the intended meaning and context across all languages.
  

• Translation & Transcreation:
  Paragon’s linguists expertly translated and transcreated the campaign materials, ensuring that the messaging was culturally relevant and resonated with each target audience. We carefully adapted the client’s creative concepts, taking into account local cultural nuances for each language group.
  

• Back-Translation & Reconciliation:
  To ensure accuracy, Paragon employed a back-translation process, where translated content was translated back into English to identify any potential discrepancies. A reconciliation phase followed, addressing any disparities between the original and back-translated content to ensure consistency and clarity.
  

• Desktop Publishing & QA Testing:
  Paragon handled the layout of all print-ready materials, working with diverse writing systems and ensuring that every element was formatted correctly. Our QA testing process included final proofreading to confirm that each piece was flawless before going live.

The Results:

Paragon successfully delivered high-quality, culturally relevant translations and adaptations for over 15 languages, ensuring the client’s messages resonated with each target audience. By leveraging our deep expertise in intercultural communication and language services, Paragon helped the client meet tight deadlines and manage the volume of work effectively.

The success of this campaign, along with Paragon’s long-standing partnership with the client, led to ongoing collaboration on future projects. The campaign played a critical role in raising awareness and increasing participation in the 2010 U.S. Census among diverse Asian language-speaking communities across the United States.

This case study showcases Paragon’s ability to manage large-scale, multilingual projects, ensuring accuracy, cultural relevance, and seamless execution across multiple languages and audiences.