Local global logos: transforming western logos through neon Chinese letterform
Aligning a global brand with local culture is key to cracking the world’s biggest economy, as Mehmet Gozetlik explores when he converts some of the world’s most recognisable logos to Chinese language neon signs.
The best logos are like lightening bolts – recognisable in a flash, sparking memories and meaning, indifferent to language or location.
And yet for many global brands their seals are resolutely built around western culture.
With this in mind Istanbul-based artist Mehmet Gozetlik has created his newest project ‘Chinatown’, reinterpreting familiar western logos through Chinese letterforms and neon signs.
A graphical translation of 20 brand devices, the series of artworks maintains the visual and narrative continuity of the well-known logos while opening them up to one of the world’s biggest markets and aligning them with local Chinese culture.
Gozetlik explains: “China’s economy is now the biggest in the world. To approach the market, there is a balancing act that global brands in China must achieve to be both a great global brand while also showing commitment and desire to be part of the local culture.
“Sooner or later, most major global brands will obviously need to adjust their meaning based on translation to demonstrate alignment with local Chinese culture and tastes. And most certainly they will collapse when the time comes, due to their existing brand structure that is built on western culture and Latin words.
“Chinatown reflects our branded world of the near future through Chinese letters with the classical neon sign style of China.
"It uses basic words for translation, such as ‘Caramel Macchiato’ for ‘Starbucks’ in order to maintain the visual continuity.
“By arranging the words this way, Chinatown pushes viewers to ask themselves what it means to see, hear, and become fully aware. Chinatown also demonstrates our strangeness to 1.35 billion people in the world, when you can’t read Chinese.”
Conception: Mehmet Gözetlik
Producer: Handan Akbudak
Neon signmaker: Asım Dogan
Director of photography: Emre Basak
Assistant camera: Dogukan Hendem
Editor: Süleyman Yılmaz
This feature first appeared as part of an Asia-focused issue of The Drum, published on 18 February.