Managing Brand Knowledge: A Comparative Analysis of Visual Similarity in Chinese and International Car Logos

Car logos serve as visual representations of brand identity and play a crucial role in consumer perception. Currently, some Chinese and international car logos are very similar, which has caused confusion for business organisations or individual consumers in terms of knowledge management (KM) related to car brand logos. The aim of this study is to carry out a comprehensive selection and categorisation of Chinese and international car logos, based on aspects such as colour, shape, iconography and typography (the Roman alphabet) composition, as well as the influence of global brands may have on the image of Chinese car brand identities. Comparing the visual similarities between Chinese and international automotive logos can help relevant organisations clarify the cross-cultural brand and logo differentiation development path of automotive logos, making Chinese automotive companies clear about the specific visual representation of the gap between their brand logos and international logos. The gap in the similarity of logos between Chinese and international automotive brands must be explained or limited by multiculturalism, and efforts should be made to avoid excessive similarities between China and international car logos. Such KM may ultimately affect brand strategy. Designers need to consider cultural sensitivities and different interpretations. Due to the lack of brand KM, the same visual elements in Chinese and international automotive logos may have different meanings in different cultural contexts, which may lead to misleading or negative connotations in the international market. Logos that can transcend cultural barriers can increase brand value worldwide. In the context of economic globalisation, automobile trade is becoming increasingly prosperous and the visual presentation of automobile logos may, to some extent affect consumers’ purchasing behaviour. The findings offer valuable implications for automotive logo design and branding strategies as well as highlight the limitations and possibilities for future research.