ABSTRACT
Whether humour travels well across languages and contexts is particularly relevant in respect of advertising. Cultural nuances, stereotypes and clichés are frequently the substance of humour-based advertising campaigns, which are often translated and disseminated in different markets. This entails that the humorous effect of the advertising texts may lose effectiveness when they reach different target cultures, even if the target language is the same. Examples of promotional texts from different media, including social media, will illustrate how humour influences the way they are translated. Aspects such as the relation between humour and the advertised product/service, the integration of humour and brand in certain advertising campaigns or the humour devices that are employed in advertisements for different media and audiences will be explored.
The translation of humour in advertising is undoubtedly a language and culture-based phenomenon within a highly globalised communication framework, which demands from translators/transcreators a creative effort to trigger the intended persuasive effect on potential consumers. Consequently, a pragmatic approach will be used to gain a better understanding of how humour can succeed in translation.
