Exploring the Vibrant Tapestry of Western Asia, Transliteration or Translation in Branding

This study investigates the transliteration and translation practices of local brand names from Arabic to English in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. A qualitative content analysis approach was used to examine 54 local brand logos and signage, focusing on their linguistic and semantic features. The analysis revealed that descriptive brand names with conceptual meanings were the most common, accounting for 44.4% of the sample. This study highlights how local brands in Jeddah navigate bilingual branding to comply with Saudi regulations while appealing to diverse audiences. This study determines the rationale for Arabic designers’ communication with a particular brand. The translation of local Arabic brand names to English in Western Asia involves two main approaches: (1) phonetic translation for brand name pronunciation and (2) direct or literal translation (transliteration) to convey brand name meaning. The findings provide insights into transcreation practices in Western Asian branding and offer recommendations for designers working on multilingual logo designs in local business contexts. This research contributes to the understanding of the intersection of language, culture, and visual communication in brand identity development for multicultural markets.