Abstract

Building appropriate and attractive identities for their companies and products is one of the key challenges facing managers today. Corporate and brand identities are as important in the fast-growing markets of the Asia-Pacific region as in the West; however, the rules of the game are different. This article describes the unique features of Asian languages, such as ideographic language systems with a large number of homonyms and sound associations, as well as pertinent cultural characteristics, such as feng-shui and other supernatural beliefs, the role of aesthetics and color symbolism, the importance of social relations, and the Asian service concept. The article also provides recommendations for the three key tasks involved in corporate-identity and brand management: selecting corporate and brand names; establishing corporate and brand images; and enhancing quality perceptions of the company and its products.