Transliterating company names into Chinese and Japanese has contributed to the success of popular brands.
When Western brands open shop in East Asia, they often have to readjust several elements of their business models and products to appeal to diverse tastes. In the case of the food and beverage industry, the translated names of companies can have a large impact on the desirability of a consumable product.
The development and success of Kit Kats in Japan is a prime example of a company’s successful adaptation to a new audience. The chocolate wafer company first appeared in Japan through parent company Nestlé in 1973. In 2000, Nestlé Japan released its first non-chocolate flavor: strawberry. Since then, Kit Kat has created over 350 varieties and embedded itself in Japanese culture. While the imaginative recreation of typically Japanese flavors such as Matcha Green Tea and red bean contributed to its rise, Kit Kat also relied on the unique branding opportunity presented by the Japanese language.
The brand name “Kit Kat” was transliterated into “Kitto katto” (キットカット) in Japanese, which phonetically mirrors the phrase “kitto katsu” (きっと勝つ). “Kitto katsu” can translate into several positive phrases, ranging from “surely going to win” to “never fail.” As a result, Kit Kat began marketing itself as a good luck charm in all areas of Japanese society. Kit Kats have become particularly popular gifts around exam periods for students and now come packaged with specific encouraging phrases like “do your best” and “believe in yourself.” Cédric Lacroix, who manages Nestlé in Japan and Korea, has stated the Japanese consume nearly 5 million Kit Kat bars daily.
Nestlé even ventured to cover Kit Kats in real gold in 2015 and scatter them throughout Japanese stores, evoking a Charlie and the Chocolate Factory gold hunt for a luxury confectionary item. One bar was worth 2,016 yen ($16 at the time). These gold bars also migrated to Australia. The popularity of Kit Kat in Japan has spread around the world, resulting in an in-depth report on how Kit Kats are made in Japan by the New York Times in 2018 and tourists flocking to specific Kit Kat chocolatories throughout Japan.
Kit Kat’s popularity in Japan thanks to word play is not unparalleled. When Coca-Cola first appeared in China in 1927, the company’s name was transliterated into Chinese characters rather than renamed completely. The first iterations of those translations resulted in company names like “female horse fastened with wax” and “bite the wax tadpole.” In 1928, Coca-Cola changed its name to be both a close transliteration and more accurate representation of the message of the brand. Coca-Cola, or “Ke kou ke le” (可口可乐) in Mandarin, now translates to “permit mouth to be able to rejoice” or “delicious happiness.”
Beyond Coca-Cola, Pepsi and Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) each had difficulties localizing their brand slogans, resulting in slogans such as “Pepsi brings your ancestors back from the grave” (instead of “Pepsi brings you back to life”) and “eat your fingers off” (instead of “finger licking good”). Transliterated company names abound outside of the food and beverage space as well. One famous failure includes the naming of sports car company Mercedes Benz as “Bensi” in Mandarin, which can translate to “rush to die.” This was later corrected to “Benchi” (奔驰) or “galloping.”
Although poorly translated names may not have a proven impact on business success, Kit Kat and Coca-Cola prove that good transliterations both solidify the impact of cohesive, international branding and can embed products into foreign cultures. Brand names including Kit Kat and Coca-Cola may have chosen their transliterations based on the original pronunciation of their products, but those transliterations have morphed from representative phrases to just simply becoming the brands themselves. For example, “Kitto katsu” (きっと勝つ) now pulls up the Kit Kat website. Similarly, while the characters for “Benchi” still mean “galloping” in Chinese, they also immediately relay to the Mercedes Benz webpage. By adopting the local language of their markets, international companies have co-opted phrases from those markets and reformulated them to their own success.
FAQs
Marketing. Marketing for Kit Kats in Japan is believed to have benefited from the coincidental false cognate with "Kitto Katsu", a phrase meaning "You will surely win" in Japanese. Some market research has shown that the brand is strongly correlated to good luck charms, particularly among students ahead of exams.
What is the famous line of Kit Kat? ›
The first use of the tagline 'Have a Break. Have a Kit Kat', written by the agency's Donald Gilles, can be traced to May 1957. A year later it was used on the first television spots for the brand and ever since has been a staple of campaigns for the chocolate bar.
What does Kit Kat translate to in Japanese? ›
This name closely resembles the phrase kitto katsutoo (きっと勝つとぉ), meaning 'you shall surely win'. In Japanese, kitto mean 'surely' or 'certainly' and katsu means 'to win'. For this reason, Kit-Kats are given to students not just as treats, but as good luck charms before important exams.
What is the message of Kit Kat? ›
Have a Break, Have a KitKat Meaning. The meaning behind the 'Have a break, have a KitKat' slogan is that the KitKat bar brings customers the enjoyment of a short break from their long working days.
What makes KitKat successful? ›
KitKat have been successful because they have been able to satisfy the exacting demands of Japanese consumers in terms of product quality and packaging. Luck may also have played a role in the product's success. The name KitKat resembles the phrase “Kitto Katsu” meaning “surely win”, a term of good luck in Japan.
What does KitKat stand for? ›
Other Kit Kat fans speculate that the name is an acronym for “Keep In Touch, Kappa Alpha Theta.” The wife of Kit Kat inventor Joseph Rowntree was a member of the Kappa Alpha Theta sorority, according to Mental Floss.
Is Kit Kat good luck Japan? ›
KitKat is often given as a gift to students before exams, as “Kitto Katsu,” which translates to “You will surely win,” is a popular expression in Japan. In addition, the chocolate snack is also associated with good luck, making it a popular gift for various occasions, such as weddings and new year celebrations.
What's Kit Kat's slogan? ›
"Have a Break, Have a Kit Kat" is a famous tagline that has been used by KitKat since 1957.
Was Kit Kat invented in Japan? ›
The origins of what is now known as the Kit Kat brand go back to 1911, when Rowntree's, a confectionery company based in York, England, trademarked the terms Kit Cat and Kit Kat.
Who owns Kit Kat? ›
In the 1980s, Nestlé, a Swiss multinational food and beverage company, acquired Rowntree's, the original producer of KitKat. Since then, Nestlé has taken over manufacturing and distribution of this popular snack, leading to its widespread global availability.
From delicious chocolates like Kit-Kats to Star Wars' fearless Jedi Kit Fisto, Kit is a gender-neutral baby name of Greek origin. Though the name has many cultural and film associations, Kit actually derives from the names Christopher and Katherine.
What is Kit Kat slang for? ›
[rhy. sl.; kit-kat = prat n. 1 (5)] a fool, a general term of abuse.
What is a interesting fact about Kit Kat? ›
The KIT KAT® Bar got its start across the pond in 1935. Originally known by Londoners as “Rowntree's Chocolate Crisp,” the candy was renamed in 1937 to “Kit Kat® Chocolate Crisp.” While KIT KAT® Bars are a global confection, The Hershey Company has produced the candy in the U.S. since 1970.
What is the story of Kit Kat? ›
KitKat® first appeared on television in 1955, and started using the slogan “Have a break - have a KitKat®” in 1957. The campaign proved so popular sales increased by a quarter. Sales increased dramatically in the early seventies following huge investment in new plant and equipment by Rowntree's.
Why is Kit Kat saying to take a break? ›
“We wanted to launch this innovation in a bold way, knowing that for our fans, the only reason why they would ever take a break from KitKat bars, would be to try something new and exciting from KitKat,” says Riona Coller, marketing director, confectionery at Nestlé Canada.
What is the KitKat marketing strategy in Japan? ›
Nestlé, the parent company of Kit Kat, recognized the potential of the Japanese market and adopted a strategic approach to localization. Instead of imposing Western flavors, Nestlé embraced the Japanese palate by introducing unique and even region-specific Kit Kat flavors.
Does KitKat mean good luck in Japan? ›
Kit Kat might not have a particular Japanese meaning, but its Japanese pronunciation kitto katto sounds a lot like “kitto katsu,” a phrase that means “you're definitely going to win” in English. Because of that, Japanese Kit Kats are often gifted to students during exam season as a token of good luck.
What is the competitive advantage of KitKat? ›
Unique offering: KitKat's number one strength is its one-of-a-kind offering – a chocolate-covered wafer that people adore for its flavor. Furthermore, by making this change, KitKat has distinguished itself from Dairy Milk and other chocolate bars on the market.
What is the unique selling point of KitKat? ›
Kit Kat Marketing Mix
Unique selling points: chocolate fingers with the signature tagline: 'Have a break, have a KitKat. '
