VietNamNet Bridge – It is a growing tendency that foreign names are given to the real estate projects in Vietnam. However, the Ministry of Construction (MOC) may stop the trend by setting up a regulation that the projects must have Vietnamese unabbreviated names.

Foreign names for Vietnamese projects

The clients, who attended the ground breaking ceremony and registered the purchase of the apartments at a project in Hoang Cau quarter in Dong Da Ditrict, found it difficult to pronounce the name of the project – a French name.

“The project’s name sounds very “western” and “luxurious.” But I cannot remember it. I just know the project is in Hoang Cau quarter,” Nguyen Van Binh, a client said.

The project in Hoang Cau is not the only project in Vietnam which bears foreign names. Giving foreign names for real estate projects is now in fashion. The Bac Anh Khanh urban area project has an English name “Splendora.” There are also Usilk City, Mandarin, The Manor…

Hoang Trung Cong, the manager of a real estate trading floor, has noted that all the projects bear foreign names, even though they target Vietnamese clients.

“Foreign names can show the luxury and the high grade of the projects,” he explained, adding that this is a good way of developing brands, an important part in the marketing plans.

MOC wants Vietnamese names

MOC has decided that Vietnamese unabbreviated names must be given to real estate projects. The regulation has been added into the draft housing law being compiled by the ministry.

The ministry believes that the lack of the regulations on naming goods, the main reason behind the “miscellaneous culture,” needs to be fixed by a law provision.

However, the MOC’s efforts to “restore order” in naming real estate products have not been applauded.

“I know clients find it difficult to pronounce and remember foreign names. However, Vietnamese names cannot show clearly the characteristics of projects, the geographical positions, the positioning of the products and the designers’ concepts,” said Nguyen Phong Chau, Director of the Hoang Chau Construction Consultancy Company.

Phu My Hung Real Estate joint venture, for example, names a project “Sky Garden” inspired by the landscape garden in the air, and names another project “Riverside Residence” because it is located next to the river and has riverfront park.

The representative of Nam Long Investment JSC said the regulation, if turning realistic, would put big difficulties for enterprises, especially the ones calling for foreign investment.

In general, foreign partners want to give foreign names to projects, because they want to make the products’ concepts clear. They also want to keep a close watch over all the phases of the product development.

Nam Long had to spend big money on a campaign to develop “E Home” brand. If the company has to rename the project, it would have to spend more money on media campaigns, which would be a heavy burden on the investor.

The representative from Novaland said MOC should encourage enterprises to give Vietnamese names instead of forcing them to do that. The investors of would consider relevant factors to decide whether to five Vietnamese or foreign names to projects to optimize their profits.

Quoc Tuan