Your brand name is essentially your shopfront. It’s what customers search for online and it’s what they write down on their shopping lists. Oftentimes, it sums up what you offer. Global fast-food chain KFC (Kentucky Fried Chicken) provides a case in point.
If you’re lucky enough, your brand name becomes synonymous with the overarching product category. Most people in the UK, for example, will refer to the trademarked name Sellotape when talking about any form of clear adhesive tape. In the same vein, if you asked your average Brit what hook-and-loop fasteners are, you’d likely be met with confusion. What we actually know this under is Velcro, a trademarked term owned by the Velcro Company. In other words, a brand name is a decisive element of your product identity.
Taking a name to new locations
When venturing into new markets, it’s not always wise to keep your brand name consistent. Certain words can be hard to pronounce in other languages. The term can even look odd or offensive, say because the spelling resembles a swear word in the local language. And when it’s a case of changing scripts, like when translating from English (Latin) to Russian (Cyrillic), you may not even be able to spell your name in the same way in the first place, as alphabets do differ.
In fact, it is not uncommon for one and the same product to be marketed under different names on different markets – even when those markets share a language. Unilever’s Australian deodorant brand Rexona is sold under the name Sure in the UK, Ireland and India, Degree in the US and Canada, and Shield in South Africa. Another example is the popular crisp range known as Walkers in the UK and Ireland, otherwise known as Lays in most other countries across the globe.
When a brand is named after a founder
When your brand name is based on a proper noun, it’s standard practice to keep the name consistent across languages. World-renowned examples here are haircare brand Schwarzkopf (named after the founder Hans Schwarzkopf), confectionary manufacturer Haribo (an acronym of its founder Hans Riegel and its place of foundation Bonn), and furniture giant IKEA (an acronym of initials of the founder Ingvar Kamprad, his childhood farm Elmtaryd, and the nearby village Agunnaryd). If you were to translate these names, you would lose the connection to the relevant individuals and their backstories.
When a brand is named after a mascot
In contrast, when a product is named after a brand character rather than a real-life person, you are more likely to see a change in name across markets. In Germany, Procter & Gamble owns a cleaning product collection that has been sold under the name Meister Proper (literally: Master Clean) since the 1960s. Dressed in dazzling white from top to toe, Master Clean is spotlessness incarnate and his muscly stature suggests he’s a man that can tackle tough stains. Products from the same collection are known under the brand Flash in the UK. What is fundamental to the name here is not the person who founded the company, but rather what the product does – clean effectively. Another potential reason behind this name adaptation may have been to avoid trademark disputes and/or consumer confusion with the British surface cleaner brand Mr Muscle, which has existed since the 1980s. Indeed, doing your research of what names already exist in the market you’re entering is a must.
Keeping that exotic flair – a deliberate decision
Sometimes, companies wish to keep that je ne sais quoi. They want consumers to know they’re from a certain country. You will often see this with products from France, a land revered by many foreigners for its luxury trade and world-class cuisine. Examples here include soap brand Le Petit Marseillais (literally: The Little Marseillais) and food brands such as Bonne Maman (literally: Granny). By retaining the French name in non-French-speaking markets, such companies are likely hoping to evoke the positive connotations that many hold with regard to the country. Interestingly, in the reverse situation, i.e. for English-speaking brands entering the French market, keeping your brand materials solely in English is not an option due to legal regulations.
When making a name for yourself goes wrong
When tapping into new markets, your thoughts may well focus on sales agreements and logistic arrangements. Whilst that’s understandable, it’s important to not oversee the basic aspects like what the product will be called. It’s all too easy to think you can just keep the same name throughout your global operations. Sure enough, there are companies like Haribo and IKEA that can keep brand name consistency without issue and do so with success. As we’ve discussed, however, a name could sound rude to speakers of another language or there may be competitors out there who’ve already got rights to a very similar-sounding trade name.
If you’re ever unsure, it’s best to turn to a professional language service provider. Asking a colleague who speaks a sprinkling of Spanish or who has Polish parents will not get you the quality-assured result you need. You only get one chance to make a first impression and things can go wrong, as household name Mercedes-Benz discovered.
When the German automaker first launched in China, the company transliterated and shortened its name to Bēnsǐ to achieve something that had a phonetic resemblance to Benz. The problem here was that this sounded like “race/rush to death” in Chinese – the exact opposite of what you want to evoke for a luxury vehicle brand. After realising their mistake, the car manufacturer swiftly switched to the translation Bēnchí, which can be back-translated to “galloping speed” – a much more fitting and positive image.
How First Edition Translations can help
Even if your brand is a roaring success in a given region, it does not mean your entry into other markets will be without issue. Seeking advice from professionals with knowledge of the local culture and language is key. At First Edition Translations, we have been helping brands from a whole range of industries go global ever since 1981. Our experienced linguists can act in a consultatory role, giving their insights and suggestions on brand names and marketing materials to ensure your product lands well first time around.
Whether you need legal, marketing or technical translations, our friendly project management team is always happy to provide a no-obligation quote and discuss what’s best for your localisation requirements. You can explore our website for further information and reach out to us under enquiries@firstedit.co.uk.