THE BRAND SEMANTICS CULTURAL ADAPTATION STRATEGIES

Abstract

The paper is an interdisciplinary study of brand semantics and the cultural adaptation strategies applied when transferring brand to international or different local markets. The study applies the conceptual approach to brand semantics and aims at outlining the brand semantic cultural adaptation strategies like value-based cultural adaptation and context-based cultural adaptation. The research provides the description of brand semantics in terms of semiotics, cognitive and cultural linguistics proving the brand semantics resemblances to that of cultural concept. The first section deals with brand semantic issues and proposes the method of linguo-cognitive analysis for the brand semantic investigation process. The second section views the brand translation and adaptation approaches in Translation Theories. The last section is devoted to cultural adaptation strategies application to brand constituents when transferring to another culture. Thus, the paper offers a cultural approach to brand translation studies and renders the brand semantics as a series of meanings transmitted by its material (trademark, logo, slogan, advertisement) and non-material (associations, value, uniqueness, inimitable style) constituents that, subjected to linguo-cognitive analysis, enable the application of context-based or value -based cultural adaptation strategy.