Chinese Transliteration Strategies for Foreign Brand Names

Presenting a strong brand in the Chinese language can be considered a necessity for an international firm entering the Chinese market. But simply reminding the local consumers of the foreign origin with a phonetically similar local name is not enough: the literary nature of Chinese language forces firms to carefully consider the character combinations of their brand names before launching their products and services in China.

Simple Transliteration
Some firms entering the Chinese market have used fairly straightforward Chinese naming strategies. When their industries have clear and commonly acknowledged set of desirable characteristics, they feel that if such key attributes are implied in the transliterations of the original brand names, their resulting Chinese brand names can be accepted by most Chinese consumers.

And for many firms, this strategy has worked. For example, the French retailer Carrefour has chosen??? (ji?lèfú) as its brand name in the Chinese market. This name means “home/family-happy-fortunate”. The three character combination not only sounds like its French name but also conveys the desired qualities of a supermarket providing products that enrich family life. Similarly, for German auto firm BMW, the transliteration?? (b?om?), meaning “treasure horse,” correctly infers the luxury and reliability of its cars.

However, following such a basic naming strategy is not feasible for all foreign firms entering the Chinese market. Other companies have found that in the process of transliterating their original brand names, they cannot find phonetically similar character combinations that effectively portray desired brand attributes.

Phonetically Similar Name with Different Brand Attributes
Under such circumstances, some companies decide to use characters that are phonetically similar to the original brand name but hold no meaning or relevant association to the original brand. Others select characters that are phonetically similar to the foreign name but reflect different brand attributes. This article will discuss the second strategy by providing advice on two transliteration methods and outlining potential benefits.

Method 1: Appeal to Status Needs
There is a tendency for Chinese consumers to purchase products that can increase their status in the eyes of others. In his research of Cultural Dimensions, Dutch writer Geert Hofstede viewed China’s low score for individualism as evidence for the importance of adherence to the collective cultural heritage. The argument is affirmed by a McKinsey research report on Chinese consumer behaviour, which notes the strong influence of the opinions of family and friends on purchasing decisions of the average Chinese consumer. Both sources attest to the importance Chinese people place on being recognized and admired by others for their actions, a principle that also holds true for their choice of brands. The firms who choose a Chinese name which is phonetically similar to but reflect different attributes than their original brand name have turned to creating Chinese transliterations that effectively appeal to Chinese consumer’s aspirations for status.

Power and Grandeur
There are two main ways to achieve the status-raising result. The first is to have the Chinese brand convey a sense of power and grandeur. Characters with straightforward and well-understood definitions and/or references to power are strongly preferred in these brands. One set of characters that fulfil such a purpose is those of respected animals and creatures. For example, ?(h?), meaning tiger, represents ferocity and aggressiveness. The driver of a Land Rover (??lùh? or “the tiger of the road”) SUV is given a sense of unrelenting ambition and determination to succeed, hidden behind a classy and elegant appearance. Dragon (?, lóng), on the other hand, represents legendary dominance over others and unequalled raw power. Both German retail firm Metro (???, màidélong, meaning “grain-virtue/German-dragon”), and auto manufacturer Citroen (???, xu?t?elóng, or “snow-iron-dragon”) uses the term to convey the physical power of both its products and its clients through the Chinese brand names.

Authority and Wealth
Another set of characters that can be used successfully in Chinese brand names are those conveying authority or wealth. These are much more direct in expressing the status of the users. For example, American hotel chain Marriott has chosen the Chinese brand ?? (wànháo), roughly meaning “ten thousand wealthy elites”. The name itself gives the impression that anyone staying in a Marriott belongs to the upper class in Chinese society. In another example, accounting firm KPMG chose the name ??? (bìm?w?i), meaning “completed-horse-power.” Combining the use of horse (?), implying speed and reliability, and ? (w?i), meaning ability to deal damage as in “??” (w?ilì), the Chinese name implies the consistent power delivered to KPMG’s clients.

Method 2: Desire for Elegance
Grace and Beauty
Not everyone wants to be seen as powerful and mighty. For instance, female Chinese consumers traditionally choose brands that reference grace as well as beauty. In this way, they can fulfil their needs to be seen as elegant and educated.

Most often, characters specifically meaning beauty and grace are used to express elegance in Chinese brand names. For example, American investment bank Merrill Lynch named its Chinese brand ?? (m?ilín), or beautiful-forest. Similarly, the cosmetic supplier Avon gave their products the Chinese name ?? (y?f?ng), meaning elegance-fragrance, which is immediately associated with the image of a civilized and charming lady. Characters such as? (m?i) and? (y?) that directly refer to the outer or inner attractiveness of the brands can strongly increase their desirability for beauty-conscious Chinese consumers

Positive Qualities and Sophistication
Yet, other characters which do not directly mean beauty can also be used to reference positive qualities of both people and places. The ? (lín) in ?? (m?ilín, Merrill Lynch) means forest, and in Chinese culture, a vast forest generates imagery of calmness, serenity, and purity. Bag manufacturer Lesportsac’s Chinese name ??? (lèb?sh?), meaning “communicates elegance in a happy way,” emphasizes ? (sh?, poems) as a graceful literary tradition enjoyed by the educated. Choosing brands associated with calmness and love of poetry gives the customers an element of sophistication. (See our previous article on The Poetic Dimension of Chinese Brand Names).

Differences between China and Western Countries
After acquainting ourselves with these two transliteration methods, we may notice a difference between China the Chinese market as opposed to western countries. Relatively higher income levels and diversity of branded products enable Western consumers to pay more attention to the unique attributes and functionalities of the products. Furthermore, a consumer’s choice of brands communicates the unique identity and attributes of the consumer themselves. Perhaps the most classic example of such individuality is the success of Apple. A brand name which is unrelated to any electronic products has become an esteemed symbol of “coolness”. Buyers intend to show their own personality through the brand identity of the products they buy.

Although both Western and Chinese consumers make purchases to affect other people’s perceptions of them, they are doing it for different purposes. Chinese people want to demonstrate that they belong to an elite group. They are eager to be categorized with celebrities and authority figures. This is why they appreciate brands conveying power, grandeur, elegance and beauty, and why they are usually not interested in brands that appear too unique and unusual.

It is important to note that there are limits that make these two alternative transliteration strategies unsuitable for many foreign brands. As in any other society, there is a significant segment of the Chinese consumer base that is much more concerned about the practical aspects of the products and services they purchase rather than their perceived status-raising and elegance-creating qualities. The size and collective purchasing power of these practical consumers is sure to be different across different age groups and in different industries and product categories, so it is absolutely necessary for the foreign firms to evaluate their targeted Chinese consumers before making the final decision on how to transliterate their foreign brand names into Chinese.