When you pause to analyze them, many translated Spanish phrases make absolutely no sense in the English language. The founders of Superbritanico launched into many laughs over the ridiculous and non-literal expressions of their native tongues, realizing that such cultural conversions would certainly make for some pretty comical products.
Based in Seville, Spain, the company makes mugs, buttons, fridge magnets, notebooks, coasters, posters, smartphone cases and more––each with cute cartoony illustrations that are coupled with translated Spanish phrases. Appropriately decorated caricatures of British royal guards are paired with amusing statements like "I love you an egg," and "it matters three cucumbers to me." The English speaker will certainly chuckle over these metaphorical lines, even though they are spoken casually in conversations in Español.
Key Themes Behind This Trend
- Lost-in-translation Products
- Opportunity to create humorous and culturally expressive products by translating phrases from one language to another
- Cultural Conversion Humor
- Opportunity to harness the humor in translating idiomatic expressions between different cultures
- Illustrated Language Gifts
- Opportunity to create illustrated products that combine language with playful visuals
Where This Applies
- Gift and Novelty
- Disruptive innovation opportunities in the gift and novelty industry by offering unique and culturally themed translated products
- Language Learning
- Opportunities in the language learning industry to create engaging materials that incorporate humor and cultural references
- Art and Illustration
- Opportunity for artists and illustrators to collaborate with language translators to create visually appealing products that playfully merge language and art
