Brief
Swiss-Italian arts publisher Skira wanted to refresh its website offering, bringing to the fore its esteemed history while explaining its ongoing activities and pointing towards an exciting future. Crucially, Skira wanted to translate existing Italian-language copy to an English-language version, maintaining the brand’s tone and voice in the process.
“Skira is a world-leading publisher of the arts because, like an artist, it ventures to look where nobody has ever looked before.”
SKIRA
Solution
I read the Italian copy, made some editorial changes with the client’s approval and then translated it into English, ensuring that the voice of the copy was as close as possible in English as in the original Italian text. This required a good working knowledge of both languages and a subtlety of tone, style and voice. It also entailed a strong understanding of how to balance textual requirements with design strictures, as well as the value of SEO. I had to deliver the finished copy (with any changes highlighted) within two weeks, which necessitated clear communication, fast-paced editing and excellent time management.
Result
Skira’s website now has fresh English-language copy that communicates the brand’s heritage and voice while maintaining a link to the original Italian-language text. This has vastly improved Skira’s ability to attract more international engagement online, therefore adding genuine business value.
