If Chinese companies have stumbled in the branding race, that is because few ever gave it much thought. For years, as China’s economic growth soared into the double digits, branding was largely considered a low-priority marketing decision left to top executives far more concerned with the next product introduction than with building long-term value, said Joel Backaler, author of “China Goes West,” a book that charts the efforts of Chinese companies seeking to build international brands.

In China, many Western brands have chosen a Mandarin-language name that will convey relevant qualities to consumers, like Coca-Cola, whose Chinese brand name — Kekoukele — translates as Tasty Fun. Other foreign brands such as Cadillac, or Ka di la ke in Mandarin characters, stick with a phonetic transliteration that has no Chinese meaning, thus signaling their foreign cachet.

Some local companies have gone the same route, employing phonetic if meaningless brand names to obtain a foreign-sounding flair, even though they are actually homegrown.

The golf apparel brand Biemlfdlkk, sold in over 450 Chinese stores, goes by Biyinlefen in Mandarin, using four characters that translate literally as “compare music rein fragrant.” While the name may be ambiguous by design, it can make creating a uniform brand identity difficult. A Biemlfdlkk saleswoman in the southern city of Guangzhou explained, “It’s a German name.” An employee at another Biemlfdlkk shop had a different explanation: “It’s the name of a French designer.”

Rather than create distinct branding, other local companies have chosen simply to mimic well-known foreign brands. “Chinese brands copy because they believe it enables them to get an easy, quick win,” said Vladimir Djurovic, president of the Labbrand Consulting Company in Shanghai. “They play on the confusion.”

The knockoff casual wear brand Clio Coddle has a green crocodile logo reminiscent of Lacoste. Across China, sneakers are emblazoned with Adidos, Hike, Cnoverse and Fuma — featuring a smoking puma — and there are SQNY batteries and Johnnie Worker Red Labial whiskey.

Reached by phone, a Chrisdien Deny representative denied that the brand was trying to piggyback on the reputation of Christian Dior, which has dozens of stores in China. “I’ve never heard of that company,” said the representative, who declined to give her name. Christian Dior declined to comment.