As foreign companies attempt to adapt their products and services for the Chinese market, established Chinese companies are also adapting their brand to make recognition easier for foreigners. Foreigners are likely to struggle to pronounce Chinese phrases in product names. This is because many of the Chinese character sounds are so unfamiliar to their native language vocabulary, and the special attention to intonation required adds even more difficulty.  If Chinese companies want to globalize their traditional brands and broaden appeal to foreigners, it is necessary to start by localizing their names. A romanized name improves brand recognition because foreigners can easily read, recognize, and remember them. For instance, remember how easy it is to remember people’s names in your own language, but it is always hard to remember names in a language foreign to you.

China Culture recently published an article on “New Translation in Old Chinese Brands”, in which it emphasises the importance of Westernizing traditional Chinese brands to make it easier for foreigners.  A list of nearly one hundred traditional brands will get translated into major languages like English, French, German, Spanish, Russian, Japanese, and Korean. The translated names need to bypass language and cultural expectations yet carry the essence of the original name and message.

Translating a brand name is really in fact localizing a name. It is an exercise that Chinese companies shouldn’t take lightly because they have been building their names locally for years. A localized brand is like a new public image for the company that requires careful planning and strategizing. While a localized name may appeal to foreigners, the product may not because many Chinese products lack an international appearance or packaging which foreigners can easily connect with. For example, foreigners may be inclined to buy a popular Chinese plum wine because it is packaged like a soy sauce bottle.

It is a common practice in Western companies to do a careful branding exercise to ensure that all aspects of company and product message are upheld in a new language.

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