The two katakana samples I’ve chosen are: フジトランスコーポレーション and ストロベリーグミ.
The Fujitrans corporation is an international company based in Japan that primarily deals with Import/Export and Freight Handling. There are three related reasons why Fujitrans would spell its name in katakana rather than hiragana: “-trans” & “Corporation” are loanwords, international appeal, and savy marketing techniques.
The reason why of all English words, these two specific words were chosen is simple: “trans” obviously stands for transportation, one of the services that Fujitrans provides across seas. The useage of the word corporation is also obvious: Fujitrans is a company so the use of “corporation” in the title is fitting.
The reason why the transcription of English words into Japanese is to give the title of the company an international feel. Primarily because Fujitrans deals with shipping internationally, there needs to be a sort of presence that could be readily connected with by foreigners towards Fujitrans. Inversely, back in Japan the useage of the katakana characters denotes an existing relationship overseas with the wider world.
The reason these specific terms were used of all possible combinations of words English or Japanese, and word-fragments in the case of -trans, is because of a branding strategy by Fujitrans. In an article in the Japan Times Online on Japanese company names and their mixed usage of katakana, hiragana, kanji, romaji, and English, all these companies aim to utilize an almost discreet force in their very name that focuses on convenience and simplicity. This discreet force works both in the Japanese and International (Primarily English-speaking) domains. The names of these companies are limited to goals of convenience and simplicity so that any potential client would know the products of the company quickly and clearly.
My second katakana sample choice: ストロベリーグミ is interesting in that there is a Japanese word for strawberry already: いちご. As one of the textbook explanations we were given states, the use of loanwords has the affect of making a concept or product more attractive. This is because modernization appeals to younger generations; and when marketing "Strawberry Gummy" candies, that is most likely Kusagai Company's target consumers.
I think you were dead on about フジトランスコーポレーション using katakana to give off an international feel. The textbooks stressed katakana's purpose for transcribing foreign words and also for giving off a sense of modernity. And while "trans" and "corporation" are loan words I agree that that is not the only reason the company's name is all in katakana. Writing it in traditional sounding Japanese may not instill the feeling that this is a global company.
ReplyDeleteChris, your analysis is very thorough and informative! I especially like how you rationalize Fujitrans' use of katakana as a method of globalizing their company name. I find it rather fascinating that the association of foreign words and phrases with sophistication and modernity is an almost universal phenomenon. The fact that Japanese businesses choose company titles in an effort to convey a sense of convenience and simplicity is also an interesting point that I'd never considered before.
ReplyDeleteI think that your analyses are straight on the mark -- especially your thoughtful discussion on フジトランスコーポレーション! The section on ストロベリーグミ could stand for a little more fleshing out, but Kasugai's decision to brand all of its gummy candies with katakana (https://www.kasugai.jp/m_shop/mu_shop.cgi?class=2&keyword=&superkey=1&FF=0) is likely as straight-forward and simple as you described. It could be helpful to find other examples of Kasugai products, note their branding, and determine to what consumer bases the products are being marketed. For example, this hard green-tea candy (https://www.kasugai.jp/m_shop/mu_shop.cgi?order=&class=0&keyword=&FF=0&price_sort=&mode=p_wide&id=137) is marketed as 宇治の抹茶玉; do you think that this indicates that the candy is intended for older generations?
ReplyDeleteVery thorough analysis on the Fujitrans. Especially I liked the fact that you talked about the article you read on Times Japan. I would love to read more about ストロベリーグミ. Did you find any instances where いちご was used as a part of product name?
ReplyDeleteTA: Takahashi