This study sought to determine how typographic features in brand name designs impact attitudes of bilingual consumers toward the brand. An online study was conducted with a sample of 210 Chinese students who have studied in the United States for at least one year. Each participant was randomly assigned to one of five groups.

Based on semantic theories and a proposed model of the role of typography in advertising-based persuasion, two hypotheses were explored. This study found that: (1) a prominent Chinese name in terms of type size in bilingual bands had a positive effect on consumers' attitude toward the brand, (2) consumers evaluated brand names with same size Chinese and English names more positively than those with a prominent English name, (3) consumers evaluated brand names with highly ornate Chinese type more positively than those with highly ornate English type and (4) brand names with low ornate Chinese type and low ornate English type were evaluated higher in terms of attitude toward brand than brand names with highly ornate English and low ornate Chinese.

The contribution of this study is to assist international companies in their local brand name selection process by helping them to understand the aesthetic value of Chinese characters in brand name design, as well as to provide practical suggestions for logographic designers and font designers.