• If it’s in French,
    We wrote it!

    Genuine, high-end copywriting in a foreign language—what we call transcreation—has little to do with translation. It requires, in fact, fairly unique skills.

    A perfect command of the original and of the target language is only the beginning. Without first-hand, cross-cultural knowledge of the context and the ability to write well in itself, there is no way to circumvent the dreaded (and often dreadful) ‘lost in translation’ effect. And then, some languages come with special challenges: German is highly flexible and lends to content-heavy, complex and long sentences, while French needs to be crisp and elegant, despite its stiff grammar. For over 22 years, Wilkhahn has given us ample opportunity to make the best out of it.
    Major trade shows:
    breaking news for the visitors and the press 
    At the very top of the office furniture business, there are only three major contenders worldwide, each vying for the attention of architects and interior designers on five continents. In this context, international trade fairs are vitally important—especially NeoCon in Chicago and Orgatec In Cologne. Information tends to center on product launches, meaning almost everything has to happen at the last minute. Foreign language adaptations have nonetheless to be top-notch.




    Catalogs and manuals
    If trade show materials are a sprint, the Wilkhahn catalogs and price lists are marathons, and the planning manual is a true triathlon. All three reflect Wilkhahn’s quest for the highest standards in every single context and the company’s consistent search for excellence, substance and meaningful, sustainable innovation. As for the manual, no one could write the copy in French who fails to have a profound knowledge of architecture, design, and furniture. Luckily, Philippe, our founder, has been dealing with these subjects for the last 35 years.



    Product launch campaign
    From time to time, we start from scratch and design made-to-measure materials specifically for French-speaking markets. This booklet with integrated give-away (a brushed steel bookmark and letter opener) was produced for Wilkhahn France to promote a new, groundbreaking cantilever chair.









    Product brochures, workbooks, sales literature
    In Wilkhahn’s communications materials, German ‘Konsequenz’ and technical accuracy are everywhere: “God is in the details”, as Mies van der Rohe, the famous architect and himself a German, used to say. Accordingly, there is no way to improvise in the French copy: everything has to be exactly to the point, and written in flawlessly elegant French.



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