Translation can preserve the words and still miss the intention. A bilingual campaign needs to sound natural, fit the layout and lead to a destination the audience can comfortably use. Start with a shared message, then adapt how each language expresses it.
Keep one promise across both languages
Write the product truth, intended audience, main benefit and call to action in a short brief. Use that as the reference for both versions. The English line does not need a word-for-word Arabic equivalent if the resulting phrase feels unnatural. Prices, eligibility, limitations and contact details must remain consistent. Decide which product names and technical terms should stay in their original form.
Design for the reading direction
Arabic needs more than right-aligned paragraphs. Review navigation, field labels, punctuation, numbers and the placement of arrows. Keep phone numbers and email addresses readable in their natural direction. Test longer headings on a narrow screen and give Arabic typography enough line height. Captions should be checked in the exported video, not only in a script document.
Give each language a usable destination
A viewer who clicks an Arabic ad should find an Arabic explanation and a workable form, not an unexpected language switch. For websites, separate language URLs and appropriate alternate-language signals help organise the versions. Link between equivalent pages. Do not automatically force a visitor into a language based only on location; many audiences are multilingual.
Adapt context without inventing a local presence
Campaign timing, currency and examples may differ between Dubai and Canada. Clarify whether a service is remote or locally filmed and confirm location-dependent scope before quoting. Avoid copying a city name into many otherwise identical pages. Useful local content explains real differences in the service journey. Sharbal works across creative and marketing briefs with Dubai and Toronto perspectives; each project’s delivery arrangements are agreed individually.
Practical checklist
- Approve one shared promise and all commercial facts.
- Review Arabic layout, captions and form messages.
- Link each campaign to the matching language page.
Should the Arabic page have its own URL?
Yes, a separate crawlable language URL makes the version easy to link and share. Keep English and Arabic pages connected and maintain accurate content in both.
Further reading
Official or specialist references for context. The workflow and examples above are studio guidance, not guarantees of campaign results.
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