The translation aesthetics of brand names and their effect on bilingual consumers’ engagement with luxury hotels

Abstract

This study examines Chinese bilingual consumers’ perceptions of the hotel brand name translation (HBNT) aesthetic, its potentially differentiated effects on their engagement with brands, and the indirect effect of brand authenticity and cultural appeal indicators on activity. Based on three experimental studies - text presentation experiment, audio playback experiment, and a mixed experiment that included text, audio, and explanation, ANOVA analysis indicated that the HBNT with beauty of sound produced the strongest engagement whereas HBNT with beauty of form produced the lowest engagement. The study also revealed that brand authenticity has a partial mediation effect within the nexus between HBNT aesthetic and consumer engagement. Furthermore, cultural symbolism has been identified as a moderator between the HBNT aesthetic and consumer brand engagement if the consumers illustrate higher level of cultural symbolism perception. These findings provide practical recommendations for international luxury hotel brands regarding successful participation and enhancement of the Chinese market.