Local businesses shun Hebrew names

English no longer viewed as a foreign language, advertising executive says; while some marketing professionals say Hebrew just as effective

Reuters | Published: 02.26.05, 23:54

TEL AVIV – English brand names are becoming an increasingly common sight here, amid concerns that Hebrew is gradually losing its place in the local business culture.

The growing phenomenon has even caught the attention of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, who recently called on leading local television service providers "Hot" (cable) and "Yes" (satellite) to reconsider their names.

Any attempt to stand in the way of globalization, however, is doomed to failure, says advertising executive Ilan Zarmon.

"English is no longer a foreign language," he says.

Even six-year-olds are regularly exposed to English these days, Zarmon says, and singles out the role of the Internet and multichannel television in promoting English usage.

McDonald's commercial in English

The apparent popularity of English brand names has prompted even successful Israeli brands to do away with Hebrew. Fashion and home furnishing chain Kitan, for example, opted for "Golf & Co." Other popular brand names include Home Center, Burger Ranch, and Castro fashion outlets.

Some companies prefer English brand names because of aspirations to expand their business overseas, Zarmon says.

"Castro would not be opening stores abroad with a name like (Israeli textiles manufacturer) Ata," he says.

Moreover, English brand names also appear to appeal to local consumers, who associate English with sophistication and quality, according to experts.

"Foreign-sounding names have charm and give off an international feeling," says business psychology expert Oren Kaplan.

Home Center CEO Aharon Meidan agrees with the assessment, and says the chain's name was picked through a customer survey.

"The one foreign-language name we presented, Home Center, left the other three Hebrew names well behind," he says.

Marketing expert Yoram Levanon, meanwhile, says Israelis are influenced by brand names that appear to be imbued with an international flair.

"When coming up with a brand name, you're not looking for something that sounds 'pretty,'" he says. "You want a catchy name."

English-language commercials

Another trend that demonstrates the power of English among local consumers is the prevalence of English-language television commercials, accompanied by Hebrew subtitles.

Satellite television provider "Yes" is particularly known for its English-language commercials, but other companies, such as McDonald's, have also jumped on the bandwagon.

A recent McDonald's commercial features a spoof of Quentin Tarantino's box-office hit “Pulp Fiction,” with John Travolta and Samuel Jackson look-alikes discussing the merits of the local McDonald's menu.

Meanwhile, the English craze has also caught on at local malls and movie theater complexes. Some examples include Rehovot's American City mall, Haifa's Grand Canyon ("Canyon" is the Hebrew word for shopping mall,) Netanya's Power Center, and Cinema City near Tel Aviv.

Still, some marketing professionals say Hebrew can be just as effective as English when it comes to product branding, pointing to successful local brands such as national airline El Al or salad producer Tzabar (Hebrew for “sabra”).

A brand name should reflect the product's "personality," says graphic designer Baruch Naeh, who was involved in the branding of dozens of successful products.

"We have strong brands and high quality products here," he says. "There's no reason for us to imitate foreign labels."

-Yigal Walt also contributed to this report.