Chinese Brand Name Creation for Pernod Ricard Group's New Malt Whisky Distillery - THE CHUAN
Challenge
Pernod Ricard has invested in a new Malt Whisky Distillery in China, reflecting its commitment to China with an ambition to bring new iconic products and experiences to its consumers. The brand is seeking a Chinese name that has an immediate association with Emei/Emeishan and local culture. The brand name should also celebrate the matrimony of Emeishan’s pristine nature with the western craft of whisky making and should be easy to pronounce in both English and Chinese.
Solution
The distillery’s name 叠川 is a matrimony of two exquisite characters steeped in the local terroir and culture, reflecting the geographic location (川 for Sichuan) , natural environment (川 means river originally) and cultural connotation (rooted in Chinese idiom 山川叠翠crystal-clear river flowing over the lush mountainous landscape). With the “rich and layered” meaning of 叠 (the) and “river” in 川 (chuan) from Sichuan, together叠川THE CHUAN celebrates the duality between the mountain and water, strength and softness of our whisky and the origin and outcome of our malt whisky distillery.
Result
With excellent linguistic and strategic skills, Labbrand integrated the brand story with history and culture and created the brand name 叠川with grace and profundity. Pernod Ricard officially unveiled the new Chinese name 叠川[dié chuān] for its Malt Whisky Distillery on November 16th, 2021. The name marks a significant milestone on its journey in China.
