Comments on: Top 13 Worst Marketing Slogan Translations Ever

By: Eve

Eve — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 10:24:14 +0000

My australian cousins were convulsed and scandalized by the ads in NY for D’Agostinos: “Come to D’Agostinos get your dag dag bag…”, since down under, a dag is a dried up piece of sheep shit that clings to the wool near the sheep’s ass.
Also, I recall a hairspray I found in Madrid called “Shit!”

By: S

Mon, 30 Nov 2009 14:53:27 +0000

Exxon (formerly Humble/Esso/et al) paid millions to a PR firm to find a name that had NO meaning in ANY language, hence EXXON….

By: Lawyer Kiyv

Lawyer Kiyv — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 15:11:53 +0000

Regardless of whether each of these offers and exact translation, they all suggest that international marketers should really spend some time understanding the culture in which they do business. We operate in Ukraine and many would be surprised at the many misunderstandings that could be easily avoided.

By: thatguyy

thatguyy — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 11:38:02 +0000

“Nothing Sucks like an Electrolux.”

This was deliberate. It’s called a pun. Notice the rhyme, and the fact that vacuum cleaners really do suck.

By: Tim Thornton

Tim Thornton — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 06:26:21 +0000

It always helps to know your local market…
Tim Thornton´s last blog ..Austin: #2 metro "Least Touched by Recession"

By: Chinese dude

Chinese dude — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 23:06:53 +0000

KeKouKeLa does not sound anything remotely like tadpole or female horse head in chinese. La is a chinese word for “wax”, and Tou is chinese for head, while Ge is chinese for to put or to insert.

Currently, the official translation of Cocoa Cola in China is “Ke Kou Ke Le” not “kokoukole”.

Ke Kou Ke Le means satisfying to the mouth and smile inducing. (No innuendos please )

By: Jag

Jag — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 08:50:40 +0000

I doubt the validity of some of these statements. Personally I had heard that bite the wax tadpole one was fake, and the “Nova” didn’t sell particularly badly as it’s read as one word, not “No va.” Add what the guy before me said, and I’m really unconvinced. One minute of work and I have some urls for you.

http://www.snopes.com/business/misxlate/nova.asp
http://www.snopes.com/business/misxlate/ancestor.asp
http://www.snopes.com/cokelore/tadpole.asp

By: william

william — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 02:48:05 +0000

A Toothpaste Company unveiled hordings ( in Africa)advertising “Brush your teeth with Gleam” ,
not knowing it was their word for sh*t.

The Toyota model car …the Pajero is spanish for masturbater

By: michael

michael — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 22:59:23 +0000

This is interesting, however there actually is no such magazine in France as “Cue,” this just sounds like the French word for ass.

By: Mike Fetters

Mike Fetters — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 14:19:19 +0000

Marketeers beware!