Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Internationale Markennamen: Die Standardisierungs-/Differenzierungsentscheidung anhand linguistischer Kriterien

  • Conceptual/Theoretical Paper
  • Published:
der markt

Zusammenfassung

Der Eintritt in neue Ländermärkte konfrontiert Unternehmen mit der Frage, ob sie Markennamen länderübergreifend einsetzen können oder ob sie diese an die spezifischen Gegebenheiten des Zielmarkts anpassen sollten bzw. müssen. Der vorliegende Beitrag zeigt anhand mehrerer Kriterien auf, wie sich diese Standardisierungs-/Differenzierungsfrage beantworten lässt. Der Fokus liegt dabei auf linguistischen Entscheidungskriterien, da diese in der Marketingliteratur noch nicht hinreichend diskutiert werden. Hierzu zählen insbesondere phonetische (Aussprechbarkeit und Wohlklang) und semantische (positive Assoziationen und Einprägsamkeit) Eigenschaften des Markennamens. Sodann erläutert der Beitrag Erfolgsfaktoren standardisierter Markennamen. Hierfür werden empfehlenswerte Wortstrukturen aufgezeigt und diskutiert, inwiefern sich deskriptive, assoziative, artifizielle und phonetische Namen für den globalen Einsatz eignen. Anschließend bespricht der Beitrag Maßnahmen zur Entwicklung national differenzierter Markennamen. Neben der Neuschöpfung (Kreation) werden verschiedene Übersetzungsstrategien wie die phonetische Übersetzung (Transliteration) und die semantische (wörtliche) Übersetzung genannt und deren Wirksamkeit betrachtet. Schließlich werden die phono-semantische und die duale Übersetzung als Hybridstrategien eingeführt. Letztere sind insbesondere bei der Übertragung eines Markennamens von einer alphabetischen Sprache in eine Sprache, die auf Schriftzeichen basiert, erfolgversprechend.

Abstract

When entering new country markets, companies have to decide whether to standardize their brand names globally or to adapt them to each target market. The present paper claims that companies have to take into account several criteria to answer the standardization/adaption question. In particular, the paper focuses on linguistic criteria as they have not yet been intensively addressed in marketing literature. Phonetic (pronounceableness and sound) as well as semantic (positive associations and memorability) characteristics of the brand name are described. The paper illustrates the success drivers of global brand names. Promising word structures are recommended. Moreover, the paper discusses, whether or not descriptive, associative, artificial, and phonetic brand names are applicable on a global scale. Afterwards, the paper exemplifies methods to design nationally adjusted brand names. The paper discusses the creation of new brand names as well as different strategies to translate the origin brand name, such as the phonetic translation (transliteration) and the semantic (literal) translation. Finally, the paper illustrates hybrid strategies: the phonetic-semantic translation as well as the dual translation. The latter are particularly efficient if a company needs to transfer a brand name from an alphabetical language to a language that bases on ideographs.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Abb. 1
Abb. 2

Literatur

  • Aaker D (1991) Managing Brand Equity. Free Press, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Alashban AA, Hayes LA, Zinkhan GM, Balazs AL (2002) International brand-name standardization/adaptation. J  Int Marketing 10:22–48

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ang SH (1997) Chinese consumers perception of alpha-numeric brand names. J  Consum Mark 14:220–233

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Boyd CW (1985) Alpha-numeric brand names. J  Advertising Res 25:48–52

    Google Scholar 

  • Dawar N, Parker PM (1994) Marketing universals. Consumers' use of brand name, price, physical appearance, and retailer reputation as signals of product quality. J  Marketing 58:81–95

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • de Mooij M (2004) Consumer Behaviour and Culture. Consequences for Global Marketing and Advertising, 2nd ed. Sage, Thousand Oaks

    Google Scholar 

  • Francis JNP, Lam JPY, Walls J (2002) The impact of linguistic differences on international brand name standardization. A comparison of English and Chinese brand names of Fortune-500 companies. J  Int Marketing 10:98–116

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Greenberg JH (1998) Universals of Human Language, vol.  2. Phonology, Stanford

    Google Scholar 

  • Herstatt JD (1985) Die Entwicklung von Markennamen im Rahmen der Produktneuplanung. Lang, Frankfurt/Main

    Google Scholar 

  • Hoffmann S, Müller S (2007) Externes Wissensmanagement zur Steigerung der Effizienz von Entsendungen von KMU. Z  Betriebswirtschaftslehre 76:99–123

    Google Scholar 

  • Hong FC, Pecotich A, Schultz II CJ (2002) Brand name translation. Language constraints, product attributes, and consumer perceptions in East and Southeast Asia. J  Int Marketing 10:29–45

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Huang YY, Chan AKK (1997) Chinese brand naming. From general principles to specific rules. Int J Advert 16:320–335

    Google Scholar 

  • Klink R (2000) Creating brand names with meaning. The use of sound symbolism. Market Lett 11:5–20

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kohli C, LaBahn DW, Thakor M (2001) Prozess der Namensgebung. Esch F-R (Hrsg.) Moderne Markenführung, 3.  Aufl., pp  451–474. Gabler, Wiesbaden

    Google Scholar 

  • Latour S (1996) Namen machen Marken. Campus, Frankfurt/Main

    Google Scholar 

  • Leclerc F, Schmitt BH, Dubé L (1994) Foreign branding and its effects on product perceptions and attitudes. J  Marketing Res 31:263–270

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McCusker LX, Hillinger ML, Bias RG (1981) Phonological recoding and reading. Psychol Bull 89:217–245

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Meyers-Levy J (1989) The influence of a brand name's association set size and word frequency on brand memory. J  Consum Res 16:197–207

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Müller S, Gelbrich K (2004) Interkulturelles Marketing. Vahlen, München

    Google Scholar 

  • Nelson DL, McEvoy CL (1979) Encoding context and set size. J  Exp Psychol-Hum  L 5:292–314

    Google Scholar 

  • Pan Y, Schmitt BH (1996) Language and brand attitudes. Impact of script and sound matching in Chinese and English. J  Consum Psychol 5:263–278

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pavia TM, Costa JA (1993) The winning number. Consumer perceptions of alpha-numeric brand names. J  Marketing 57:85–98

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pecotich A, Schultz II CJ (2002) Brand name translation. Language constraints, product attributes and consumer perceptions in East and Southeast Asia. J  Int Marketing 10:29–45

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Peterson RA, Jolibert AJP (1995) A meta-analysis of country of origin effects. J  Int Bus Stud 26:883–900

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Riefler P, Diamantopoulos A (2007) Consumer animosity: a literature review and a reconsideration of its measurement. Int Market Rev 24:87–119

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schmitt BH, Pan Y (1994) Managing corporate and brand identities in the Asia-Pacific region. Calif Manage Rev 36:32–48

    Google Scholar 

  • Schmitt BH, Pan Y, Tavassoli NT (1994) Language and consumer memory. The impact of linguistic differences between Chinese and English. J  Consum Res 21:419–431

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tai SHC (1997) Advertising in Asia. Localize or regionalize? Int J Advert 16:48–61

    Google Scholar 

  • Usunier J, Shaner J (2002) Using linguistics for creating better international brand names. J  Market Comm 8:211–228

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • vanden Bergh BG, Collins J, Schultz M, Adler K (1984) Sound advice on brand names. Journalism Quart 61:835–840

    Google Scholar 

  • Zajonc RB (1968) Attitudinal effects of mere exposure. J  Pers Soc Psychol 9:1–27

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang S, Schmitt BH (2001) Creating local brands in multilingual international markets. J  Marketing Res 38:313–335

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Danksagung

Die Autoren danken zwei anonymen Gutachtern für wertvolle Hinweise.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Fakultät Wirtschaftswissenschaften, Lehrstuhl für Marketing, Technische Universität Dresden, 01069, Dresden, Deutschland

    Stefan Müller & Stefan Hoffmann

Authors
  1. Stefan Müller
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Stefan Hoffmann
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Stefan Hoffmann.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Müller, S., Hoffmann, S. Internationale Markennamen: Die Standardisierungs-/Differenzierungsentscheidung anhand linguistischer Kriterien. markt 49, 43–51 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12642-009-0014-y

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12642-009-0014-y

Schlüsselwörter

Keywords

Search

Navigation