This is a case study of global branding. It exmamines the key factors that affect the meaning of international brands in China. Global brand and local image is a paradox to be addressed. In the previous studies localising an international brand is largely viewed as a passive translation process. This study has shown that renaming can be a value-added process. It provides an opportunity to re-cast the brand in the new market, creating a unique global-local image that enhances the original’s brand equity

Fan, Y

English

Brunel University Research Archive

THE ART OF CROSS-CULTURAL BRANDINGYing FanBrunel Business SchoolBrunel University Uxbridge UB8 3PHEnglandying.fan@brunel.ac.uk1The Art of Cross-Cultural BrandingLux is called  力士 (Strong Man) in China, a name contradicting the image of a young lady on its package. When the brand first entered the Chinese market in the early 1980s, a Hollywood actress was employed in one of earliest western TV commercials. While bathing herself  in a large bathtub (certainly an exotic scene to the Chinese viewers at the time), she said in a soft seductive voice “I only use Strong Man. How about you?” This proved to be a huge success and Lux became a household name within weeks. In Taiwan Lux is called  丽士 (Beauty), a name that matches with the image of young woman.  Both names are  pronounced with the exactly  same sound and tone.  This means that Lux has two different names with totally different images in the same language and culture. An explanation can be found from the ideological differences existing  in  the  two  parts  of  China.  While   丽士 (Beauty)  would  be  a  perfectly acceptable name in the mainland China today it was certainly a problem back in the 1980s. Under the orthodox communist doctrine, “beauty” was related to the decadent bourgeoisie aesthetics.Renaming brands in a foreign market is no straightforward process. As a language and culture loaded with symbolism and imagery,  a direct  translation can often lead to comical or negative results. For many international companies entering the Chinese market,  the  first  barrier  they  encountered  was  the  language.  As  the  Chinese  use characters  based on ideograms and the majority of people are unfamiliar  with the Roman alphabet, the international brand has to choose a proper Chinese name. This is a complicated task that requires a thorough understanding of Chinese culture as well as linguistic skills.A  study  on  brand  renaming*  has  found  that  there  are  three  common  renaming methods: mixed translation is used most often (46%), followed by free translation (29%) and direct  translation (25%).  Direct  translation  maintains  the  phonetic  link between the two names,  i.e.  the new name sounds like the original,  but it  has no specific meaning in Chinese. Free translation, on the other hand, gives a meaningful Chinese name but loses the phonetic link with the original. The mixed method seems 2to be the most popular one among the three as it creates a new name that both sounds like the original and has a meaning in Chinese.Other things being equal, a brand name that has some meaning to the consumer will be more easily recalled. In addition to linguistic issues, other factors that affect the translation/naming process are identified as follows; Reflecting product benefits or industry characteristics, Quality and brand positioning, Links to logo or packaging, Country of origin effect, Traditional values, Beliefs and customs, Reflecting product benefits and brand positioning are the two largest groups.  It is interesting to compare Coca Cola with Pepsi Cola. In their Chinese names 可口可乐 (Palatable and Enjoyable ) and  百事可乐 (Hundred Things Enjoyable), the last two characters are the same. However, the difference in the first two characters set them apart. Coca Cola’s name has a clear link with product benefits (可口); the repetition of character  可 makes the name rhythmic that enhances the name recall. In contrast, Pepsi’s name is a poorer imitation without any distinctive feature.Of 100 brands, three quarters are given a meaningful new name. Chinese names place more emphasis on meaning than sound. A meaningful name is crucial in developing both a mental image and favourable associations. Mercedes Benz is 奔驰 (Speed On). The sound and visual image of two characters (particularly,  驰 with a horse as radical) generate associations of speed,  dynamism, performance and capability – the exact attributes that the German brand symbolises. Brand positioning is another important consideration. In the case of Canon, consider its old name   卡侬 (based on direct translation) with its new name   佳能 (based on mixed translation).  卡侬 ,  though sounding very close to Canon,  has no meaning in Chinese. In contrast,  佳能 (means Best Calibre in Chinese) is strategically desirable: it sounds appealing and generates an association of high quality.3A poorly conceived name could cause confusion to the consumer or harm the brand’s equity. Although no simple rule can guarantee a good name, an understanding of the issues will help a company prevent the costly blunder of choosing the wrong one. The translation process gives an international brand not just a new name in Chinese, but also a distinctive local image. Take BMW as an example. To millions of Chinese consumers, BMW is   宝马 -  a ‘Precious Horse’ rather than “the ultimate driving machine”. A horse is generally perceived as a heroic creature in Chinese culture: there are dozens of idioms and legends describing its feats and it is a popular subject in traditional Chinese paintings. By adopting such a name, the brand can tap into the rich cultural deposits and create a favourable mental image in the consumer’s mind.The  dilemma  faced  by  the  international  brand  is  not  about  whether  to  choose  a suitable Chinese name (it  is  a  necessity in the majority of  cases),  but whether to maintain a western image or to create a more localised image. For example, Nike and Reebok  have  adopted  very  different  brand  image  strategies.  Nike  maintains  a standardised “fitness and performance” image in all of the markets it serves. Nike is translated into Chinese directly as 耐克, a name that has no specific meaning (though the first character means “durable”) but has a distinctive foreign or western image and sounds more appealing. Its rival Reebok, on the other hand, customises its image on the basis of national differences. It is rendered as  锐步 (Dashing Step), a meaningful name that lacks a foreign image.The challenge for international branding is to find a fine balance between the two strategies, as there are risks at both extremes. A pure global image that is alien to the national culture will not appeal to local consumers. On the contrary, a totally localised image will not benefit from brand assets of the original and find it hard to differentiate itself from the local competition. Unilever is a good case in point. A global brand, according to its chairman Michael Perry, is simply  a local brand reproduced many times. For many years, the company has been actively pursuing localised branding strategy in China, localising all its international brands and acquiring successful local brands. Most Chinese consumers probably have no idea about Unilever’s origin, it is perceived as a multinational company with a Chinese identity as its name suggests: 联  合利华 (United Benefit China). 4Renaming a brand in a foreign market  can be a creative and value-added process when cultural issues and brand positioning are taken into consideration along with linguistic factors. It provides the international brand a rare opportunity to re-cast the brand in the new market; create a unique global-local image with built-in positioning attributes that enhance the brand equity of the original.Questions for discussion1.  Global branding is a paradox. There may be global brands but their image, positioning  and  perception  are  influenced  by  the  local  market  conditions, especially by the cultural  differences. Discuss with examples. How do you define a global brand given the fact that its image varies in different markets?2.  Choose  three  global  brands  to  investigate.  For  each  brand,  studying  two websites (one in your own country and the other in the home country of the brand) to find whether there are any differences in terms of brand identity (name, logo and brand associations) and brand positioning (slogan, marketing communications etc).  3. Try  to  explain  those  differences  you  have  identified  above.  What  are  the implications of these differences on the firm’s marketing strategy in your own country?Further readings *Fan, Y (2002) “The National Image of Global Brands”,  Journal of Brand Management, 9:3, 180-192This paper presents a study of 100 international brands, focusing on the key factors that affect  the meaning of these brands in the Chinese market.  The paper can be downloaded free from:http://bura.brunel.ac.uk/bitstream/2438/1289/3/Global%2Bbrands.pdf  De Mooij, M (2005) Chapter 2 “the Global-local paradox in global branding” in Global Marketing and Advertising, 2/e, Sage Publications5

The art of cross-cultural branding

This is a case study of global branding. It examines the key factors that affect the meaning of international brands in China. Global brand and local image is a paradox to be addressed. In the previous studies localising an international brand is largely viewed as a passive translation process. This study has shown that renaming can be a value-added process. It provides an opportunity to re-cast the brand in the new market, creating a unique global-local image that enhances the original’s brand equity

The art of cross-cultural branding

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