The national image of global brands

As the Chinese use characters based on ideograms, international brands have to choose a proper Chinese name for the market. This paper presents the findings from a detailed study of the Chinese names of 100 international brands along three dimensions: translation methods, cultural values and brand positioning. The main findings are: first, that in choosing a new name the meaning is given more emphasis than its sound, although it is still desirable to maintain phonetic links to the original. Secondly, after linguistic issues, the three most important factors affecting renaming are reflecting product benefits, brand positioning and cultural values. The translation gives an international brand not just a Chinese name, but also a distinctive local image. Finally, global brand and local image is a paradox to be addressed. In 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 recast the brand in the new market, creating a unique global-local image that enhances the original's brand equity.