There can be nothing as obvious a reason why precise brochure translation is so important as the current coronavirus (COVID-19) epidemic. Borders have been shut down. Governments, health departments, health professionals, businesses, as well as ordinary people everywhere are attempting to deal with a massive health issue. The transmission of the coronavirus doesn’t respect borders and couldn’t care less what language you prefer to speak. Governments and those who have to deal with the effects of the new disease have to be prepared to communicate across numerous language barriers. Brochures, both online and hard copy forms, are invaluable ways of passing on important information about how to cope with the disease. Brochure translation that addresses this particular disease is proceeding as fast as translators can get the health messages out and printers can print enough material.

Brochure use isn’t on the Decline

Brochures may seem to be a bit old-fashioned these days when online information seems to have taken over, but there is no sign that it is a dying form of communication. Brochures are easy to read and can address a variety of needs from the immediate health concerns of a new virus right through to tourism opportunities, advertising and marketing material, information about government services, and local business ventures.

Brochure translation is a common enough translation requirement in any country where more than one language is spoken or used. In the U.S., for example, there are now so many Spanish speakers, many of whom still struggle with English, that any kind of public information sharing must be translated into Spanish. That includes brochure translation, too. Visit any typical suburban or rural town library across the U.S. and in the entranceway, the library user will find stacks of brochures available in English and probably Spanish, too.

Tourism Brochures

Tourism is very much a multilingual affair. The average Chinese or Japanese tourist heading down to the Gold Coast or Cairns in Australia for a holiday in the sun would be disappointed if they couldn’t find maps and tourist information translated into their languages in brochures.

Healthcare brochures

One of the major uses of brochures is in the pharmaceutical and medical fields. Reference has already been made to the use of brochures in the war against the coronavirus, but health-related brochures have been around before the new virus appeared in Central China and will still be in use when the related health panic hopefully subsides within the next year. Health brochures tell customers and patients about the value of health products and procedures. Translating health brochures is an important task as it has to be extremely accurate, not just because any steps someone has to take must be translated correctly. Healthcare brochures inform people about healthcare procedures, drugs and medications, tests and scans, and information on healthy diets and lifestyles.

Business and marketing brochures

Business and marketing brochures are everywhere. They are ubiquitous in people’s emails and the junk mail that often fills everyone’s mailboxes. Visit a store and there you will find plenty of brochures. When a company decides to expand its business overseas, the easiest way to inform potential customers is through its website. Marketing brochures are often translated and can be downloaded off the website the company maintains in the languages it wishes to market in.

Summary

Brochures are often convenient ways of communicating. They vary from the one-page leaflet to maps and multipage colorful brochures that are made available to showcase new products and whatever is for sale health information or any other information that is of a general nature. Brochures may be in printed form or available only on the Internet. Increasingly they are translated into more than one language. Brochure translation is a specialized field of translation that is certainly not in decline. There is no sign that the need for brochures and brochure translation is going to decrease.