This text is taken from our April 25 newsletter “Le Courier de l’économie”. Subscribe by clicking here.
Lightspeed, Cook it, Goodfood, The Unscented Company… Here is just a small sample of the many brands established in our French-speaking province that are making themselves known in the language of Shakespeare. But why are there so many business names in English in Quebec? asks us Richard C. .
Officially, they are registered with the Registraire des entreprises as Commerce Lightspeed, Les Recettes Cook it and Marché Goodfood, which is sufficient to comply with the Charter of the French language. Sometimes their business name is completely different from their trademark, which is registered with the Canadian Intellectual Property Office. For example, Baléco inc. owns The Unscented Company brand of cleaning products.
What motivates entrepreneurs to define themselves in English? We asked several of them directly. Among those who agreed to give us their point of view, the answer could be summed up as follows: they want to break into the international market.
“I know that Cirque du Soleil has built an international brand with a name that is difficult for English speakers to pronounce and spell. That said, I wanted to put the odds on my side,” says Hardbacon CEO Julien Brault, whose app offers financial tools. Mr. Brault believes that his brand name has made gains in English Canada, where the majority of his current customers are located.
Same explanation on the side of The Unscented Company. “Today, you can find our products throughout Quebec, Canada and the United States, promoting a Quebec product throughout North America while supporting job creation in Quebec”, underlines the company. by email.
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On the other hand, the President and CEO of Off the Grid training equipment, Charles Couture-Lebrun, does not believe that an English name limits its growth in the Quebec market. “Our product was designed, manufactured and assembled in Quebec. […] If people prefer to buy from a Chinese or American competitor because of an English-speaking name, it would be rather ironic”, judges the CEO
Start-ups and elevator pitch
Anglicization is particularly marked in Quebec in the sector of young technological shoots, commonly called “start-ups”. There is a fad in there that also affects France, says Louis-Félix Binette, director general of the Movement of Quebec Innovation Accelerators (MAIN). However, it corresponds to real needs.
“A start-up often has a specialized product and must quickly reach a large global audience to succeed,” says Binette. These companies would mainly depend on their international appeal not only for their sales, but also to obtain financing from investors, technologies and even talents.
“The name of a start-up, in a elevator pitchit’s part of what you’re trying to communicate quickly, ”adds the general manager of MAIN.
If there were more outlets on the Quebec market for technology companies, they would undoubtedly be more tempted to establish themselves in French, believes Mr. Binette. According to him, public policies should be put in place to encourage the purchase of Quebec technologies, particularly in calls for tenders, so that they seek their success in Quebec rather than abroad.