Semiotic and Cultural Analysis on Local Product Brand Name

Abstract

To create strategically relevant and significant brand names, factors such as culture is one of the most powerful and immediate ways to communicate an identity-image and linkage to the consumer. Thus, enables potential buyers to relate by delivering brand communication value of the brand by inspiring or persuading them by certain images and associations. However, interpretation of each brand name can be tricky as manipulation of social interaction as well as multiple types of relationships with the brands; leading to varying brand images (noise). The aims of this research were to explore cultural aspects and their meaning as brand communication value of 50 local brand names of various products as a purposeful communicative act in branding strategy. The brand names were sampled limited on a simple random sampling selected from billboard advertisement. Content analysis method through Charles Sanders Peirce’s semiotic model was used in this analysis to describe and analyse the connotation, denotation, concepts, and relationships in making inferences about the cultural messages imprinted on the brand names. The findings indicated culture still can be a source of influence in brand naming strategies. Malay language and terms by the usage of local names giving local value expression that need to be taken into account in basic strategy of brand-building as future reference. This is the consumer self-image in branding, while behind cultural expression usually lies religious motivation to influence formation of a consumer behavior such as stressing out the use of Arabic terms and Jawi script. Therefore, the study gives more insight on the brand name patterns and culture as symbolic meaning which created emotional ties of brand preference. And, the decision-making process can be much easier for producers or marketers in strategizing brand names, especially for local markets that need to be tailored to target the local community.