International Branding of Films in Culturally and Linguistically Different Markets: Brand Consistency by Sound and Meaning

Grounded in the brand consistency perspective and diffusion of innovation (DOI) theory, this study sheds light on the role of film titles as brand names in the context of international branding. By conceptualizing two dimensions of brand consistency, namely brand consistency by 1) sound and 2) meaning, this study investigates effective branding strategies for films in culturally and linguistically different markets. An analysis of U.S. films released in South Korea reveals that effective international branding decisions for films go beyond whether to standardize or adapt original brand names (i.e. film titles). Instead, marketers should adjust the extent to which they should preserve how the original brand name sounds and what it means, considering whether such branding strategies could exploit cross-market effects that travel from the home market to the host country to maximize films’ foreign performance. Specifitcally, the effects of brand consistency dimensions on films’ foreign performance are moderated by sequels, the complexity of original brand names, electronic word of mouth in the home market, and release time lags between the home and the host country.