Create ideas using: Translate It
How do I choose what to translate my message into?
Pick a language or system that creates interesting contrast with your message--serious data as playful art, complex policy as simple game, abstract concept as physical object. The translation should make the message more accessible or reveal something new about it. Random translation is just gimmicky.
What if the translation makes my message less clear?
Then you chose wrong or didn't provide enough context. Good translation maintains the core meaning while making it accessible in a new way. Include a 'Rosetta stone'--an explanation that helps people decode the translation. If it's too obscure even with explanation, it's art for art's sake, not communication.
Example: How it could look
A climate organization doesn't show graphs--they translate CO2 data into musical notes, creating an actual symphony of climate change. As emissions rise, the music becomes more dissonant and intense. The data is still there; it's just experienced emotionally through sound. Translation makes it feel visceral, not just intellectual.
Or like this:
Why is Translate It a great technique?
Translation makes abstract or complex messages accessible by expressing them in unexpected, often more emotional or intuitive formats.
Makes complex information graspable
Creates surprise through unexpected medium
Engages different processing modes
Generates shareability through creativity
The right translation can make invisible concepts visible, abstract ideas concrete, or boring data fascinating. When you express your message in a completely different language, you reach people who wouldn't have engaged with the original format.
! When not to use the Translate It Technique
When the translation is so clever it obscures the message. If people admire the creativity but miss the point, you've failed.