The art of brand name translation in China

We liked this NYT article recently - it’s a fascinating insight into the big business of adapting Western brand names for the huge Chinese market.

While early attempts at localising established brands just created phonetic equivalents, recent entrants have opted to convey both meaning and a phonic mimicry of the original name.

Some of the results add a poetic resonance to well-known brands - such as “Quick Steps” for Reebok (Rui bu) or “Tasty Fun” for Coca Cola (Kekoukele).

It made us think: What will happen to the names of Chinese brands that eventually become sought after on this side of the world?