Don’t Get Lost in Translation

Going global in this day and age is more of a rule rather than an exception. When devising your brand name or other trade marks for your business, it’s important to keep in mind how well it will translate in the global economy, even if you aren’t planning to go overseas in the immediate future.

Take a look at some interesting – and sometimes humorous – examples below.

A Finger-Licking Mistake?

According to some reports, KFC’s well-known (and trade marked) slogan “It’s Finger Lickin’ Good” translated to “eat your fingers off” in Chinese.

Phone In your Phonetics

The brand name Coca-Cola was first rendered for the Chinese market as “Ke-Kou-Ke-La”, until it was discovered (after many signs had already gone to print) translated to “Bite the Wax Tadpole” or “Female Horse Stuffed with Wax”, depending on the dialect.

Mazda’s Maze

Mazda’s “Laputa” minivan, launched in 1991, wasn’t so well-received by Latin American dealerships. After all, it’s no secret that the Spanish word “puta” translates to “prostitute” – and the name was eventually changed.

All That Jazz

Honda’s “fitta” model was introduced to various Nordic countries in 2001, only to discover that “fitta” refers to a woman’s genitals in Swedish, Norwegian and Danish languages. The “fitta” was eventually renamed as the “Jazz”.

Beware the English

It turns out companies entering the English-speaking markets have similar hurdles! Take the Japanese tourist agency “Kinki Nippon Tourist Company” that began receiving requests for sex tours. Eventually the company decided to rebrand in this market as “knt”.