任何品牌的核心都是一个可识别的名称。好的品牌可以将最笨拙的名字变成中流砥柱,但一个好的品牌名字会让品牌发展更加容易。在中国,名字很重要。汉语中存在更多的多重含义,增加了英文所缺乏的语义层,因此国际品牌本土化必须谨慎选择品牌名称,并注意多重内涵。著名的电子商务品牌“淘宝”可以理解为“挖掘埋藏的宝藏”,这个名字吸引了那些喜欢抄底的网购者。
然而,很多外国公司可能不想从头开始选择一个量身定制的中文名称。除了失去现有名称的可识别性外,中国人越来越多地使用双语也是重要因素;中国的消费者可能会遇到两个版本的名称,这可能会造成混淆。理想情况下,名称应与品牌原名同音,同时又是一个好听的中文名;易于中国客户发音和记忆,并具有积极的内涵。奥迪(奥迪)和凯迪拉克(卡迪拉克)等一些公司谨慎行事,选择听起来读音接近,但没有意义的中文名称,并非好的本土化命名案例。比较下,奔驰、宝马、路虎明显更胜一筹。
国际品牌本土化命名重要原则就是设法选择接近原品牌发音的中文名字
如Subway(赛百味——比其他一百种口味更好)和Coca Cola(可口可乐——美味和快乐),他们也正是因此而取得非凡的成功。
国际品牌本土化命名另一个规则就是传递出品牌的价值定位或行业特征。
尽管“bing”在中文中存在,并且内涵并不好,疾病。聪明的命名者以双音节读音“bi ying”巧妙的躲过了这一劫,中文名称“必应”,不仅保留了原品牌读音,又传达出快速相应的搜索行业特征。
香皂品牌Dove翻译为“多芬”,富有亲和力,而洗衣粉品牌Attack翻译为一个强劲的名称——“洁霸”?!岸喾摇焙汀敖喟浴狈从沉瞬煌牟肥粜?,如果拿“洁霸”作为香皂品牌,而用“多芬”作为洗衣粉品牌就不太合适。
另一个案例则比较糟糕,百思买(Best Buy),这中文品牌命名可以翻译为“购买前要三思而后行”,与苏宁、国美等当地竞争对手相比表现不佳。
也有一些公司试图避开整个命名噩梦并保持原名称不变,依靠品牌知名度来克服语言障碍。也有一些品牌的名称未被翻译而幸存下来,但可能会出现不需要的中文名称的。桂格燕麦片有时被称为“老人牌”或“标志是老人的品牌”。
国际品牌本土化命名要注意文化风俗
“盖乐世”,三星给 Galaxy 系列品牌定下的中文名。就这么一音译,Galaxy 本身的“银河系”寓意在中文译名中已经消失殆尽,让人产生与死亡相关的异想。但三星说这个新名字的寓意是“覆盖快乐的世界”,个人觉得这个内涵用来做保健品品牌名字倒是及格。
“声破天”就更雷人了,看完这个音译过来的名字后,新用户你还有欲望试试 Spotify 么?当然,用在品牌传播上,“声破天”确实在某种程度上起到了过目不忘的效果,毕竟足够雷嘛。不过还好这并不是 Spotify 的官方中文译名。后来将其中文品牌命名为「声田」,虽有东方田园文化之韵,但并未传递出品牌的气质内涵与价值。
以「Google」的科技色彩,来对应其中文命名「谷歌」的田园化,有如科技时代直接倒退到农耕时代的既视感。
由于各国与地区在文化风俗、思维方式、价值观、法律法规都以及语言上都存在极大的不同,跨国公司进入新市场之前,都应该专门组建团队研究本土文化,并寻找本土的知名品牌命名公司参与其中。
品牌命名需要不同寻常的认知、语言、创意和法律技能的结合。为避免成为猜谜游戏,品牌命名需要经过验证的过程,该过程结合了战略、语言、创意和法律专业知识。虽然新手有可能创造伟大的品牌名称,但通常情况下,这种概率极低。何况还面对着陌生的市场文化 最快和风险最低的方法是与专家合作。 只有经过科学的本土化策略,才有可能在新兴市场再次伟大。
命名者NAMERS-中国较大的商业起名机构,成立于上海,拥有一线命名策划顾问团队,提供专业科学的品牌命名、产品商标起名、Slogan设计服务,塑造强势品牌基因。
BRAND NAMING IN CHINA
At the heart of any brand is a recognisable name. Good branding can turn even the most awkward of names into a mainstay, but a good name makes it infinitely easier. In China, a name is crucial. Chinese characters can have multiple meanings, adding a semantic layer which English lacks, so brand names have to be carefully selected with an eye to alternate readings. Famous e-commerce brand “Taobao” can be read to mean “digging for buried treasure,” a name that appeals to those bargain-hunting online shoppers.
Foreign companies, however, might not want to pick a tailored Chinese name from scratch. In addition to losing the recognisability of their existing name, the Chinese are becoming increasingly bilingual; they would likely encounter both versions of the name, and it could cause confusion. Ideally, a name should be phonetically similar to the brand’s original name, while also being a good Chinese name; pithy, easy for Chinese customers to pronounce and remember, and with positive connotations. Some companies like Audi (Ao Di) and Cadillac (Ka Di La Ke) have played it safe, choosing Chinese names that sound close, but have no meaning.
The companies who manage to choose good names which are phonetically similar to their own, such as Subway (赛百味 – better than a hundred other tastes) and Coca-Cola (可口可乐 – delicious and happiness), are finding remarkable success. Bing dodged a bullet by chosing the name “bi ying” (responds without fail) even though “bing” exists in Chinese. It just happens to mean “illness.” On the other hand, Best Buy, whose name could be translated as “think one hundred times before buying,” fared badly against local competitors.
Some companies might be tempted to just dodge the whole naming nightmare and keep their names the same, relying on brand recognition to overcome language barriers. Some companies have survived with their names un-translated, but unwanted nicknames can spring up. Quaker Oatmeal is sometimes called “老人牌“ or “old man on the logo.” Ralph Lauren? “三匹马,” or three legged horse.
Names matter in the Chinese market. It won’t guarantee success or failure, and it may seem a relatively small part of a market strategy, but in the long run, a little extra effort on picking a good name can avoid any unpleasant puns. Keep the name short and sweet, as close to the original name as possible, and most importantly, have native speakers check all possible alternate meanings. Avoid Peugeot’s conundrum。