13:24 Oct 28 

I find that if you tell them that you don't think it will sell, their ears prick up and they start listening. That is when they realise that what they really want is not a faithful translation but an effective advertisement.

13:18 Oct 28 

... thank you to everyone who joined in discussing/suggesting.

13:18 Oct 28 

Yes, sometimes these texts get ridiculous- this isn't even as over-dramatic as some others I've seen. Clients who only know Italian don't get it, and will not change the source text. I've therefore come to the conclusion that sentences sometimes need to be reworked and altered- after all, the point is communicating the same feeling/information conveyed by the original, not literal translation....

09:48 Oct 27 

I am ex-advertising and I totally agree. You need to write for the market. I would simplify otherwise it sounds ridiculous. BTW I copywrite for a major Italian petfood company. I change everything to USA/Canada/UK markets.

09:45 Oct 27 

I agree with Jim that client can be informed and translator can offer to draft an alternative. I wouldn't be overly confident that anyone would listen though. I might guffaw if I read 'your mood will be uplifted by the heady scent of the ocean' but maybe someone else out there might be thinking that's exactly what they need.

09:37 Oct 27 

This reminds me of an advertising translation I did for a translation agency many years ago, where the client refused to pay, because I should have told me that comparing a fitted kitchen to Mozart, orchestras and gushing mountain streams was totally inappropriate for the USA market. I think you should inform your client and maybe offer to write equivalent advertising copy.