Transcreating Persuasion: A Functionalist Approach to Slogan Translation in Global Fashion Advertising

Abstract

This study bridges functionalist translation theory and practical marketing localization by analyzing fashion advertising slogans. Grounded in Reiss’s Text Typology and Vermeer’s Skopos Theory, this paper identifies the loss of persuasion as the core challenge in cross-cultural slogan transcreation. Methodologically innovative, this research employs a dual analytical framework, encompassing cultural, rhetorical and visual dimensions; Contrastive case studies of failed vs. optimized translations. Findings reveal that effective transcreation requires: 1) Converting self-orientation to collective aesthetics via four character idioms; 2) Strategic sacrifice of semantic fidelity for rhythmic persuasion; 3) Typographic textual synchronization for website ecosystems.