Leon z lee-lehrmach-marcomtranscreation-for-eastasia

Lehrmach.com | Austin . Texas USA Slide 1

Marcom Transcreation for East AsiaDesigning for Global Branding & Globalization

Leon [email protected]


Market Synopsis

• "Show Me The Money"

• Translate the nuance, not words

• Seamless message delivery• Website experience is the global brand


"Show Me The Money"


Mass Marcom Dilemma

• Late-1990s, Digital Consumerism / E-Commerce• Mass marketing increase (300 to 3,000 daily impressions)• Information overload, dilute customer attention • Product/services to mere price commoditization

NewspaperMagazineJunk mailBillboardPosterFlyer

TelevisionRadio

Web Banner AdsJunk E-mail

• Relationship Marketing, socio-emotional bond with customer• Value beyond purchase price, lifestyle enhancement, social mobility• Leverage global citizenry theme via localized marcom with global branding


Relationship Marcom PrincipleSubjective Sociological & Psychological Valuation

Schema

Source : Brand Beyond Borders, University of Pennsylvania 1999, www.Upenn.edu

LinkLink

Link

Link

NodesNodes

NodesNodes

NodesNodes

NodesNodes

NodesNodes

Higher OrderedSchema

• Interpretative knowledge is socially organized• Semantic && episodic values are cultural-centric• Interactive orderliness (not auto-assume to share same values)

• Transitive values ~ (ex. lifestyle, utility, price value)• Terminal values ~ fundamental socio-emotional values (ex. safety, family, education)

NodesNodes TransitiveValue

TransitiveValue Terminal

Value

TerminalValue

Structured Marcom MessagingNodesNodes

Semantic(word)

Semantic(word) Episodic

(imagery)

Episodic(imagery)


Relationship Marcom Sample

• Semantic and episodic marcom• Channels customer experience• Form socio-emotional relations• Enhance brand recognition and recall

Lifestyle Nodes Cultural Nodes Fantasy Nodes


Forming Global Brand Experience

Corporate Governance

EmployeeCommitmentProducts Services

Corporate Tangible Assets Corporate Intangible Assets

Customer Brand Utilization

Prestige of Ownership

Lifestyle Enhancements

Global Citizenry

• Global brand name & logo

• Physical manifestation of brand

• Conscious & subconscious reminder

Quality & Relevance

Customer Brand Affinity


Transnational Marcom Evolution

• 1950s trade globalization• Global HQ locale• Disseminate marcom design to regions• Rigid product and messaging, lack g-localized venue

• Mid-1980s, expanded global trade venue• Global HQ locale, regional HQs• Region design marcom, semi-independent cost-centers• g-localized venue, but duplicative marcom efforts

• Mid-1990s, digital consumerism, relational • marketing• Global HQ locale, regional HQs• Coordinated marcom design for • participating regions• Global brand management, marcom

cost-effectiveness


Driver : Brand Value Perception

Source : Interbrand Best Global Brands - www.interbrand.com

Case-study sample•Dell Inc. sample• 2000, Interbrand #25 ~ $11.5 million• 2005 Interbrand #21 ~ $13.2 million• 15% increase brand value

• Perception projects value• Form seamless marcom• Value differentiation & extension• Reduce marcom and R&D op-ex costs• Accelerate market penetration


Driver : Digital Consumerism, Internet

Traditional Marcom

• TV, Print, Radio medium• Geographic-centric• Target isolated (campaign on/off)• Exclusivity (ethnic, demographic, national)

Internet Marcom

• Ubiquitous and omnipresent• Borderless transcendence• Always-On and On-Demand nature

• Distance enhance global brand proposition• No physical locale• Website is defacto brand experience

Source : TeleGeography - www.telegeography.com


Driver : World Gross National Income

Source : World Bank (WorldBank.org), IFC Doing Business (DoingBusiness.org)

Hong Kong, China (PRC)High incomePopulation: 6,943,600GNI per capita (US$): 27,670.00

Taiwan, China (ROC)High incomePopulation: 22,858,000GNI per capita (US$): 16,170.00

China (PRC)Lower middle incomePopulation: 1,304,500,000GNI per capita (US$): 1,740.00

JapanHigh incomePopulation: 127,956,006GNI per capita (US$): 38,980.00

Korea (ROK)High incomePopulation: 48,294,143GNI per capita (US$): 15,830.00

VietnamLow incomePopulation: 82,966,000GNI per capita (US$): 620.00

SingaporeHigh incomePopulation: 4,351,400GNI per capita (US$): 27,490.00

• Total $44.983 trillion GNI• East Asia ~ $6 trillion GNI• Circa 14% World GNI

• East Asia culturally defined : Classical Chinese lineageShared Confucian social values

$38.869 trillionOther

$6.114 trillionEast Asia

GNI : all domestic production and net factor income flows abroad


Driver : Internet Language Distribution

Source : GlobalReach - www.global-reach.biz/globstats

• Interplay between Online and Offline audience• Online audience impact site g-localization marcom delivery

• Offline English speakers : 508 million• Offline Non-English speaker : 5.82 billion• English third largest group• Most widely spoken, circa 40 countries

Internet Non-English516.7 million

( 64.2% )

Internet English287.5 million

( 35.8% )

Total Internet Population804.2 million

• English largest online user block, circa 288 million• "Lingua Franca" international business• Intermediary host language (ex. Japan, India, Singapore)

• Leverage English as defacto localized language• American-English marcom nuance


Translate the nuance, not words


Transcreation Assets


Pronounceablity Issue( Europe example )

• Local customer rendition• Ability to pronounce, ability to brand recall

• 1950s Swiss product VICTORINOX• US Serviceman not familiar with NOX-portion• By default, Americans called generic title

Source : Flags of the World Switzerland - www.fotw.net/flags/ch.html

• Ireland city name, tourist center • Change from English to Gaelic in 2004• Fear loss of tourist brand recognition• Town voted restore English name, Oct 2006

Source : BBC News -news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/6070820.stm


Transliteration : Solution Options

• Local language conformance• Adjust vowel & consonant clusters• No original semantic appeal

• One-to-one translation • Localized semantic nuance• Original semantic appeal

• Similar to phonetic solution • Exact match not necessary• No original semantic appeal• Intrinsic local cultural appeal


Transliteration : Phonetic Solution( Japan & Korea samples )

• Legal registration necessity• Render by local phonetics • No original semantic appeal

Dell Japan ( deru ) Dell Korea ( t'er )

Microsoft Japan ( maikurosofuto )

Nortel Japan ( nooteru )

Louis Vuitton Japan ( rui viton )

Louis Vuitton Korea ( rui pit'ong )


Transliteration Challenges( China / Taiwan Phonetic )

• Render by local phonetics • Conducive character selection• Chinese characters already

possess intrinsic meaning

1930s China market

( Kou Ken Dou La )Mouth gnaw the tadpole waxApproximate character phonetics, terse imagery

( Ke Kou Ke Leh )Suit taste, suit happiness (Joyful refreshing taste)New character phonetics less precise, better semantic appeal

Traditional Chinese

( Ke Kou Ke Leh )Suit taste, suit happiness (Joyful refreshing taste)Use same character glyphs, no reinvent brand

1980s China marketSimplified Chinese


Transliteration : Phonetic Solution( China & Taiwan samples)

Yahoo China

( ya hu )Proper tiger

Yahoo Taiwan

( ya hu )Proper tiger

Columbia Taiwan

( ge lun bi ya )Elder-brother relations compare asia

Nokia China

( nuo ji ya )Promise foundation asia

Walmart China( wo er ma )Rich like "ma"

• Render by local phonetics • Conducive characters• No original semantic appeal


Transliteration : Colloquial Solution( China & Taiwan samples )

• Colloquial naming approach• Different verbal rendition• Original semantic appeal• Note Chinese character glyphs

Source : Chinese Characters : www.Lehrmach.com/Research/2005.8.29-Lehrmach-ChineseCharacters.pdf

Nortel Taiwan

( bei dian wang )Northern Electricity Net

Nortel Taiwan

( bei dian wang )Northern Electricity Net

Mira (Spanish ) ~ Sight, ViewMax ~ Maximum

( jing ying yu le)Revelation-eminent

Miramax Taiwan

( jing ying yu le)Revelation-eminent

Miramax China

Metlife Taiwan

( da du hui )Greater society

Metlife China

( da du hui )Greater society


Transliteration : Literary Solution( China & Taiwan samples)

Pepsi China

( bai shi )100 matters ~ All knowledgeable

Pepsi Taiwan

( bai shi )100 matters ~ All knowledgeable

• Literary naming approach• No original semantic appeal• Local universal appeal

Ikea China

( yi jia )Appropriate house (proper clan)

Ikea Taiwan

( yi jia )Appropriate house (proper clan)

( de guo zhi sheng)Virtuous country of sound

DW Chinese-Simplified(China, Singapore, diasporasAustralia-Americas-Europe)

Virtuous Meaning Aspire Country( deh yi zhi guo )Deutsch countryGermany

Contraction of Germany


Compromised Transliterated Examples( Know the language, Know the consequences )

• Avoid random transliteration• Phonetic and semantic association• May mutually exclude markets• Compromise brand awareness

Dell China

( dai er )Honor thus

Negative "dai er" Chinese Homonyms

Idle Pastry Sack of Ears Imbecile Two

US Enterprise IT Governance Software• Niku (Farsi) : One who serves• Enter Japan market, Niku meant "Meat"

Source : Brand Beagle : www.tippingsprung.com/childpages/news_brandbeagle.html

Japan refreshment drink producer• Japan phonetics "Karu-pisu"• Localized as "Calpis"• US audiences conjure bizarre imagery

Source : Calpis Japan : www.calpis.co.jp

Japan thrift shop• Japan phonetics "puppu deikku"• Localized as "Poop Dick"• US audiences conjure bizarre imagery


Global Brand Logo vs. Logotype

• Project common global brand awareness• Logo : geometric symbol• Logotype : stylized typeface• Retain shape-dimension-color• Do not localize name in logotype

Mitsubishi

Nike

Heckler-Koch


Divergent Global Brand Recognition( Dell transcreated brand example )

Dell Japan ( deru )

Dell Korea ( t'er )

Dell Taiwan & Hong Kong ( dai er )Dell China ( dai er )

Vietnam use Latin alphabets

Singapore may solely use English

• Transcreated logo compromised customer attention• Fragment customers into isolated markets

( Multinational vs Transnational )

• Promote only singular brand icon• Use "Rebus Effect" to strengthen brand icon recognition• Channels : corporate marcom, "grapevine"

recommendations, brand reputation


Tagline Transcreation Process

• Brand tagline : word or catchphrase (long/ short)• Distinguishable and differentiating• Customer conscious and subconscious appeal• Establish relationship marcom

Main tagline transcreation challenge : Conform to local socio-linguistic expectations


Brand Taglines Rapport

• Emotional value proposition• Relationship appeal• Rhythmic impression

( We're driving for you )


Transcreated Taglines

From the Center Europe( German )

Europe State Center Heart( Chinese Simplified )( Ouzhou Zhongxin )

BMW China, Taiwan, Korea, Singapore

BMW Hong Kong

BMW Japan( semantic ) Drive through the barrier with joy( episodic ) To drive like the wind( Kakenukeru Yorokobi )

( joy to drive )

( koa-ko-wa hyon-jae-ui chon-sol )

Louis Vuitton KoreaPast and Present Legends


Tagline Affectation( Beware of literal translations )

Gen baishi huifu nidi xian bei( Chinese Simplified ) With Pepsi it will revive your ancestors

It is necessary for an aroused man to make a chicken affectionate

( Spanish )

• Danger of word-for-word translation• Cautious use free online machine translation• Understand target language prerogatives

Ta shi shou-zhi tian hao( Chinese Traditional )

The fingers are very lickable


Transcreation Logistics #1( Case-Study : Consolidating Dell Brand Tagline )

( Atarashii Jou-shiki ga Umareru Tokoro )Place where new common sense are born

Late-1990s Dell USA tagline

Late-1990s Dell Japan tagline

• Common global brand tagline• Seamless online E-commerce• Single point of accountability• Converge global marcom budget

( 2000 – 2005 tagline )

American rhythmic proverb : Easy as Pie


Transcreation Logistics #2( Case-Study : Sourcing tagline candidates )

External Customers

External Customers

InternalEmployees

InternalEmployees

InternationalLiaison (US)

InternationalLiaison (US)

• 600 participants

Global Brand Management

Global Brand Management

• 60 tagline candidates

TaglineCandidate List

TaglineCandidate List

• 5 business segments Home / EnterpriseGovernment / EducationHealthcare

JapanUsability Sessions

JapanUsability Sessions

Dictionary

UsabilityInterview

• Global brand centrally managed• Across 5 business segments• Usability with 600 participants• Generated 60 taglines

( global marcom budget )

( Japan marcom budget )


Transcreation Logistics #3( Case-Study : Generate raw candidates )

• Generate raw candidate list• Filter via self-review• Present finalists to usability

Colloquial Idiom List

Dictionary Candidate List


Transcreation Logistics #4( Case-Study : Sample rejected candidates )

Omo-Shiroi Deru( Dell is very interesting ) Treated Dell as an object

instead of a customer experience

Kakkou-Ii Deru( Cool and Stylish Dell ) Consumer segment appeal, but

Enterprise segment rejected

Deru Dai-suki( I like Dell very much ) Referred to intimate

personal feelings

Fun-iki ga Atteru( Ambience exists ) Too esoteric and vague

Eezee asu DeruPhonetic (Easy as Dell)

Not understand raw phonetics


Transcreation Logistics #5( Case-Study : Predominance of foreign loan words )

• Streamline, Efficient, No Frills

• Intelligent, Decisive, Fashionable

Source : Wikipedia Gairaigo - en.Wikipedia.org/wiki/Gairaigo

• American-English adoption into vernacular• Original terms capture precise nuance• Western words via local phonetics• May augment additional value proposition

Caution : Divergent meanings may exist

( baikingu ~ Viking = buffet ) ( janpaa ~ Jumper = Jacket ) ( ooeru ~ O.L. ~ Office Lady = Secretary )


Transcreation Logistics #6( Case-Study : Narrow down finalists review )

( Phonetic : Easy as Dell )

Sumaato ni Suru Chikara Deru( The power to be decisive, Dell )

Sinpuru wo Anata ni Deru( Simple for you, Dell )

Consensus Tagline

TranscreatedDell Japan Version

Brand font typeface andcolor palette

• US : Easy as Dell• Japan : Simple for you, Dell• Replace "deru" with Dell brand icon• Leverage rebus effect for brand icon


Transcreation Logistics #7( Case-Study : 2000-2005 website tagline integration )

• Online Visual Interface Design• Consistent tagline & logo placement• Website is defacto online brand• Similar customer experience


Website experience is the global brand


Visual Interface Design #1( Case-study : Dell.com online global branding components )

• Website is defacto global brand• Customer experience is site navigation• Consistent information architecture

Master Footer( visual anchor )

( Dell.com VID 2000-2005 )Master Header( visual anchor )

Brand Tagline Brand Logo

Page Schematics( information layout )

Lifestyle Imagery( cilentele association )


Visual Interface Design #2 ( Case-Study : Dell.com primary globalization features )

• Lifestyle imagery depicts ethnic group• Language toggle preserve VID navigation• National identity may possess transcendency

Lifestyle Imagery( localized clientele association )

Transliterated Corporate Name

( Master Footer - Legal )

Country or Region Selector( place name sensitivity )

Multi-Language Toggle( local language and American-English )

National Identity( localized country name & flag )


Visual Interface Design #3( Case-Study : Dell-Japan flag display opposition )

• Japan flag display only for diplomatic and sporting events

• Other displays may be associated with right-wing ultranationalist groups

• Compromise flag in VID, no usage in TV/Print marcom

( Japan Hinomaru flag )

( Japan right-wing protester )Source : Flags of the World Japan - www.fotw.net/flags/jp.html


Visual Interface Design #4( Case-Study : Dell-China & Taiwan flag dispute )

• Site transcendency challenge• Dispute from 1920s era• Divergent interpretation & themes

Dell China

Dell Taiwan

Source : Wikipedia China Civil War –en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civil_War_of_China


Visual Interface Design #5( Case-Study : Dell-Taiwan 2000-2005 compromise )

Dell Taiwan

Tai-wan( use provincial name via

Traditional-Chinese characters )

Select Country or Region( neutral association on Taiwan ) Flag Display

( unique business & language region )

Short Form : Chung Kuo(China)

Official Long Form : Chung Hua Min Kuo(Republic of China)

Not use


Seamless messaging delivery


Relevant Marcom #1( Product usability )

Source : Japan Market Research Network – www.JMRN.com

General Mills

• Product usability obstacle• Localized marcom not circumvent• General Mills 1960s Japan market• US baking products, Japan homes no oven• Bake in rice cooker, rice after-taste

Most Japan homes no ovens

Reformulate for rice cookers

Japan rejected, left baking after-taste in rice


Relevant Marcom #2( Fully localized message )

AFLAC Duck (cgi)

• Marcom message affectation• AFLAC 2001 Japan market entry• Port US marcom, multiple problems• Create localized Japan marcom

Japan Affectation1) When Duck speaks, must look at caricature to be polite2) US Duck utters "Quack, Quack", Japan Duck utters "Ga, Ga"3) Duck "AFLAC" shout shrilled local audience (Gilbert Godfrey voiceover)

Source : AFLAC Commercials - www.aflac.com/us/en/aboutaflac/aflaccommercials.aspx

( yoku kangae yoo, okane wa daiji da yo)Lyrical format : Use your money wisely, it's precious, yes it is…

Japan Success1) Major market penetration, 75% corporate revenue2) Tagline passed into local vernacular3) Brand awareness expansion

New AFLAC Brand icon

US Comedian Gilbert Godfrey


Relevant Marcom #3( Call-to-action nuance )

• Overt quality & sales anouncement• Product usage in shower• US lady stands in shower

US shower stall

(kirei ga chigau, ii kanji)It's a different prettiness, good feeling

Japan Ofuro bath tube

• No sales pitch, relaxation nuance• Product usage in Ofuro• Japanese lady sits in Ofuro

Beautiful( utsukushii )

Excessive emphasis on physical beautuy

Cute( kawai )

Adolescent nuance

Kirei( pretty )

Physical and mental beauty balance


Relevant Marcom #4( Conforming to purse-string clout )

Dec 2004

• Flag and city name affectation• Alienate main US Vietnamese-American clientele

Vietnam (current)

• Appeal to Viet-American socio-economic clout• Most from former South Vietnam• Draw protest from current Vietnam government

South Vietnam (1975)

City name controversy

• Do not mention city name• No political imagery on US brochures• Main Vietnamese-American population in Los Angeles• Move departure from Los Angeles to San Francisco

(Compromise marcom logistics)

Source : First U.S. flight to Vietnam - www.cnn.com/2004/TRAVEL/12/09/bt.united.vietnam/index.html


Relevant Marcom #5( Asian numerology )

• Cultural-specific episodic and homonyms• Conscious & subconscious reinforcement

Universal amongEast Asian cultures

Chinese societies in Asia/Pacific, Americas, Europe

Written as

( ba ) ( fa )

Sounds like

( Gong-Shi-Fa-Cai )Wish You Prosperity

Written as Sounds like Episodic

( si ) ( si )


Relevant Marcom #6( Chinese numerological marcom )

• Alpha Romeo 164 to Hong Kong market• 164 sounds like "we all die"• Change to Alpha Romeo 168• 168 sounds like "we all prosper"

Via Chinese

( yi liu si )

( yi dou si )We all die

Resembles

( yi liu pa )

( yi liu fa )We all propser

Via Chinese

Resembles

Landesbank Baden-Württembergwww.lbbw.de

( shi hai wei jia )4 oceans for family

( fang zhi shi hai er jie zhun )For 4 oceans all standards

Universally applied, valid everywhere

2005 tagline

Proverbialassociation

"FOUR" inference based on context


Relevant Marcom #7( Japan numerological marcom )

• Asian numerology interpretation differences• Episodic and linguistic relations paramount

Written as

( Hachi )

Resembles

( Fujisan)Omen for wealth and status

( Sue hirogari )Spread out like a fan,Opportunities widens

Written as

( Kyuu, Ku )

Sounds like

( Kurushi )painful, bitter, difficult


Publication Resource

Marcom Transcreation : Branding, Strategy, Communication for Asia Market Entry

http://Lehrmach.com/Research/2007.9-Lehrmach-MarcomTranscreateAsia.pdf

http://lehrmach.com/ourwork.htm

Total 18 pages.Sample Pages below


ABOUT THE AUTHORLeon Z. Lee is Lehrmach’s Senior Strategist for Brand Management, his 15-year corporate tenure includes Nortel, IBM, University of Texas at Austin, and Dell. He can be reached at [email protected]

ABOUT THE COMPANYLehrmach is a management consultancy with concentrations in Brand Design & Transcreation, User Experience & User Interface Design, and Trademark Management. For additional information, contact [email protected]

Lehrmach BrandingLehrmach UX/UI DesignLehrmach Trademark

[email protected]

Austin . Texas . USA

Leon z lee-lehrmach-marcomtranscreation-for-eastasia

Design

Transcript of Leon z lee-lehrmach-marcomtranscreation-for-eastasia