BRAND IDEOLOGY AND THE CREATION OF “BRAND CULTURE” - THE USE OF THE ESTABLISHED EQUIVALENT TECHNIQUE IN THE BULGARIAN LOCALIZATION OF ANIMATED FEATURE FILM TITLES

Abstract

The present article looks at the localization of animated feature film titles for Bulgarian audiences with a focus on the concept of brand ideology as the current evolutionary stage of marketing ideology. The study is descriptive and employs a functionalist approach in considering the use of specific translation techniques as dependent upon the skopos (purpose) and context of the product. The role of the title as paratext is not only to provide an initial point of contact with the product (the phatic function of the title) but also to be functional in terms of creating a certain aesthetic effect (the expressive function) and motivating the consumer to take action regarding the product (the appellative function). Thus, the title becomes not only a “threshold” or a “vestibule” in Genette`s terms, but also a vehicle for accomplishing the authors` (in the broadest sense) particular goals and objectives - in the context of brand ideology, this would entail the brand`s coming into existence, the establishing of its reputation (the brand`s image), as well as its relationship with the target audience (the consumers). In relation to the concept of brand ubiquity - the reality of everyone and everything being a brand - the title of a product, analogously to a name, has the power to establish its existence (distinguish it from other brands and products) and anchor the relationship with the target audience/consumers (provide them with a point of reference and a counterpart to relate to/with). Furthermore, in the context of globalization, brand ubiquity and worldwide brand presence require gauging the brand`s success in terms of global popularity and recognizability - and, most importantly, international appeal and positive optics. This leads us to the crucial importance of the interplay between glocalization (or internationalization in a global framework in Pym`s terms) and localization - the precarious balance between managing intercultural and inter-linguistic friction by limiting/stripping away real-world cultural markers while simultaneously limiting the ensuing “blandness” effect which is largely undesirable and counterproductive for brands capitalizing on originality and interest (such as those in the entertainment industry). The present article thus argues that brands in the field of animated films for worldwide audiences potentially approach this conundrum by means of substituting the brand`s and respectively the product`s country-of-origin culture with a purposely-constructed, fictional (potentially universal and non-problematic) culture. This particular dynamic finds concrete and practical expression in the present article from the perspective of the localization and, more specifically, the translation of animated film titles with the use of a specific technique - that of established equivalent (Hurtado Albir and Molina, 2002). The article discusses the potential ideological implications of the unique ways in which brands (in the face of five of the biggest animation studios) employ this translation technique in title localization in order to optimize their relationship with the Bulgarian audiences while also ensuring brand recognizability and projecting individuality - and, therefore, establishing a position of power for the brand.