Brand naming in China: the role of “Made in Italy” and the experiences of Italian luxury brands

Abstract

The following thesis examines the process of brand naming of western brands for Chinese consumers and the most successful techniques to thrive in the Chinese market. It also discusses the evolution of the Chinese consumer, especially purchasers of luxury goods. The focus of this thesis is the experience of Italian luxury companies in the biggest Asian market as representatives of the globally renowned “Made in Italy”. Despite the COVID pandemic, Chinese luxury consumption has turned out to be resilient and stable, something which proves its importance for the luxury sector. Through the analysis of previous research on the topic, as well as reports and interviews, this study aims at demonstrating that adapting a brand name for the Chinese market, alongside with the ability to respect and incorporate Chinese culture and traditions in one’s marketing activities, is necessary to build a strong reputation and consequently brand awareness. Even luxury companies that are able to work with their original names thanks to global fame, still own Chinese brand name adaptations to facilitate their diffusion in the country. Today, Chinese social media give netizens the opportunity to actively participate in a product’s life cycle and this represents a new challenge that foreign companies have to face.