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(In)Appropriate Product Names 3
- Thread starter RCorrigan
- Start date
I have a tin of paint with product name "Period Colors"
Car names are fraught with danger;
- An old nugget is the Toyota MR2 which did not sell well in France. For non-French speakers 'MR2' in French sounds very similar to the word for poo.
- The Mitusbishi Pajero was similar, since in Spanish that word sounds like the slang word for masturbator. On the same angle I always thought the company name "Wayne-Kerr" was not the best choice.
Before anyone jumps in, the Chevy Nova has long been a joke because it is alleged to mean No-Go in Spanish. This however is something of a myth
Car names are fraught with danger;
- An old nugget is the Toyota MR2 which did not sell well in France. For non-French speakers 'MR2' in French sounds very similar to the word for poo.
- The Mitusbishi Pajero was similar, since in Spanish that word sounds like the slang word for masturbator. On the same angle I always thought the company name "Wayne-Kerr" was not the best choice.
Before anyone jumps in, the Chevy Nova has long been a joke because it is alleged to mean No-Go in Spanish. This however is something of a myth
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SantaMufasa
Technical User
Here are a few of my favourites...
U.S. naming/marketing blunders in non-U.S. markets:[ul][li]Parker Pens hot-selling "Jotter" pen had to be renamed in Latin America since that term is slang for "jockstrap".[/li]
[li]"Pet Milk Company" had problems marketing any of its products in France under its own name since "pet" is a French term for "fart".[/li]
[li]Colgate-Palmolive also had trouble in France with its "Cue" toothpaste, a pornographic word there.[/li]
[li]Coca-Cola found out too late that in Mexico, "Fresca" is slang for "lesbian".[/li][li]Bird's Eye foods renamed one of its products when it found out that in one foreign market its original name choice translated to "Genitals".[/li]
[li]After heavily marketing in Indonesia its popular anti-knock gasoline addative, Gulf Oil Company found out too late that its "Nonox" product name means the same as the U.S. slang for "female genitalia".[/li]
[li]A U.S. cosmetics firm proposed marketing its "Joni" face cream in India until they found out that "joni", in Hindi, also represents the intimate parts of female anatomy.[/li][/ul]Foreign products that do not do well in U.S. markets are:[ul]
[li]A Finnish Brewery's top-selling beers, "Koff" and "Siff".[/li]
[li]A favourite European chocolate, "Zit".[/li]
[li]A Finnish product for unfreezing car doors, "Super Piss".[/li]
[li]A Spanish potato chip is named, "Bum".[/li]
[li]A French soft dring, "Sic".[/li]
[li]Czech laundry detergent, "Polio".[/li]
[li]Japanese moist towelettes, "Cat Wetty".[/li]
[li]Asian fish sausage, "Homo".[/li]
[li]Chinese chocolates, "Swine".[/li]
[li]Chinese adhesive, "Ass Glue".[/li]
[li]Japanese toilet tissue, "Last Climax".[/li]
[li]Japanese coffee creamer, "Creap Creamy Powder".[/li]
[li]Chinese battery brand, "White Elephant".[/li]
[li]Chinese dress shirts, "Sea Cucumber".[/li]
[li]Chinese playing cards, "MaxiPuke".[/li]
[li]Chinese men's underwear brand, "Pansy".[/li]
[li]Japanese baby powder, "Skinababe".[/li]
[li]Australian beer, "XXXX" (Four 'X' got confused here with "Fourex" condoms.).[/li][/ul]Of course, Americans can unwittingly come up with names that have trouble domestically: A technical college chose to forgo its original choice for its name when it considered what its acronym would look like: "Stevens-Henager Institute of Technology."![[banghead]](/data/assets/smilies/banghead.gif "[banghead] [banghead]")
...And a site that competes with our own Tek-Tips.com is the well-known "Experts Exchange", whose original web address was "Expertsexchange.com"...I wonder how many gender-reassignment inquiries they received.
All over the nation, I hear radio stations that claim either "The Greatest Hits" or "Soft Hits from FM 100"; they always run their words together, thus making some rather erotic claims.
In addition to Inappropriate Product Names, following are images of some Inappropriate Choices for Logos:
![[santa]](/data/assets/smilies/santa.gif "[santa] [santa]")
Mufasa
(aka Dave of Sandy, Utah, USA)
[I provide low-cost, remote Database Administration services: www.dasages.com]
U.S. naming/marketing blunders in non-U.S. markets:[ul][li]Parker Pens hot-selling "Jotter" pen had to be renamed in Latin America since that term is slang for "jockstrap".[/li]
[li]"Pet Milk Company" had problems marketing any of its products in France under its own name since "pet" is a French term for "fart".[/li]
[li]Colgate-Palmolive also had trouble in France with its "Cue" toothpaste, a pornographic word there.[/li]
[li]Coca-Cola found out too late that in Mexico, "Fresca" is slang for "lesbian".[/li][li]Bird's Eye foods renamed one of its products when it found out that in one foreign market its original name choice translated to "Genitals".[/li]
[li]After heavily marketing in Indonesia its popular anti-knock gasoline addative, Gulf Oil Company found out too late that its "Nonox" product name means the same as the U.S. slang for "female genitalia".[/li]
[li]A U.S. cosmetics firm proposed marketing its "Joni" face cream in India until they found out that "joni", in Hindi, also represents the intimate parts of female anatomy.[/li][/ul]Foreign products that do not do well in U.S. markets are:[ul]
[li]A Finnish Brewery's top-selling beers, "Koff" and "Siff".[/li]
[li]A favourite European chocolate, "Zit".[/li]
[li]A Finnish product for unfreezing car doors, "Super Piss".[/li]
[li]A Spanish potato chip is named, "Bum".[/li]
[li]A French soft dring, "Sic".[/li]
[li]Czech laundry detergent, "Polio".[/li]
[li]Japanese moist towelettes, "Cat Wetty".[/li]
[li]Asian fish sausage, "Homo".[/li]
[li]Chinese chocolates, "Swine".[/li]
[li]Chinese adhesive, "Ass Glue".[/li]
[li]Japanese toilet tissue, "Last Climax".[/li]
[li]Japanese coffee creamer, "Creap Creamy Powder".[/li]
[li]Chinese battery brand, "White Elephant".[/li]
[li]Chinese dress shirts, "Sea Cucumber".[/li]
[li]Chinese playing cards, "MaxiPuke".[/li]
[li]Chinese men's underwear brand, "Pansy".[/li]
[li]Japanese baby powder, "Skinababe".[/li]
[li]Australian beer, "XXXX" (Four 'X' got confused here with "Fourex" condoms.).[/li][/ul]Of course, Americans can unwittingly come up with names that have trouble domestically: A technical college chose to forgo its original choice for its name when it considered what its acronym would look like: "Stevens-Henager Institute of Technology."
...And a site that competes with our own Tek-Tips.com is the well-known "Experts Exchange", whose original web address was "Expertsexchange.com"...I wonder how many gender-reassignment inquiries they received.
All over the nation, I hear radio stations that claim either "The Greatest Hits" or "Soft Hits from FM 100"; they always run their words together, thus making some rather erotic claims.
In addition to Inappropriate Product Names, following are images of some Inappropriate Choices for Logos:
Mufasa(aka Dave of Sandy, Utah, USA)
[I provide low-cost, remote Database Administration services: www.dasages.com]
The one I heard about (that wasn't on your otherwise comprehensive list!) was the Clairol Mist-Stick curling iron. It seems that in German, 'Mist' is slang for 'Manure', and no one wanted to put curls in their hair with a manure-wand.
Can't imagine why....
Chip H.
____________________________________________________________________
If you want to get the best response to a question, please read FAQ222-2244 first
Can't imagine why....
Chip H.
____________________________________________________________________
If you want to get the best response to a question, please read FAQ222-2244 first
Ah yes web sites with inappropriate names;
penisland.net (Pen Island sells Pens, not a theme park for penises)
therapistfinder.ca (for finding a therapist, rather than a rapist)
powergenitalia.com (sells batteries in Italy)
whorepresents.com (a listing of who represents people, not a gift shop)
penisland.net (Pen Island sells Pens, not a theme park for penises)
therapistfinder.ca (for finding a therapist, rather than a rapist)
powergenitalia.com (sells batteries in Italy)
whorepresents.com (a listing of who represents people, not a gift shop)
I remember a discussion in high school...According to my teacher, the Chevy Nova never sold well in Mexico, since Nova means "No Go" in Spanish.
I spent some time in Korea while I was in the Army. There was one particular brand of Korean beer that I suspect would not sell well here in the US. It's called "OB" beer. If I'm not mistaken, we already have a certain product called OB here in the US, and it sure as heck isn't something you drink.
I spent some time in Korea while I was in the Army. There was one particular brand of Korean beer that I suspect would not sell well here in the US. It's called "OB" beer. If I'm not mistaken, we already have a certain product called OB here in the US, and it sure as heck isn't something you drink.
Would that be their attempt to sell "Cod Pieces"? The term is not really current UK slang, but it would certainly give a snigger to anyone who knew their Shakespeare.
There was a recent UK news story - - about Woolworths having to rename a child's bed named "Lolita". Obviously nobody there had heard of Nabokov.
-- Chris Hunt
Webmaster & Tragedian
Extra Connections Ltd
KenCunningham
Technical User
...which brings us back to Sting...
Or maybe not.
I want to be good, is that not enough?
Or maybe not.
I want to be good, is that not enough?
SantaMufasa
Technical User
RJoubert said:
...Yet another case of teachers teaching only what they "think" they know. Although the Chevy "Nova" sounds plausible, and is bolstered by countless re-tellings and poorly researched marketing texts, it was simply an urban legend, probably concocted by a marketing professor somewhere wishing to emphasise the importance of market research.Paul Simon "Kodachrome" said:
Snopes.com does a great job of explaining why the Chevy "Nova" story is implausible (and false) at many different levels.
...but, nonetheless, still a great story, even if it's false. <grin>
Mufasa(aka Dave of Sandy, Utah, USA)
[I provide low-cost, remote Database Administration services: www.dasages.com]
Not really a product name, but...
I once had an Australian friend visiting the states here. We were taking her to the usual tourist attractions (Disneyland, etc). I had a small belt bag to hold things like sunglasses and sun block in. I referred to it as a "Fanny Pack" and she went crazy, appalled that I would use that kind of language. It took a little explaining on both sides, but "Fanny" in the US is equivalent to saying "BUM" in the UK. She explain that "Fanny" is a vulgar way of referring to a part of the female anatomy in Australia.
Can anyone confirm that? Or was she "havin' a go with me"?
We settled on "Butt Bag" when referring to the pack.
I once had an Australian friend visiting the states here. We were taking her to the usual tourist attractions (Disneyland, etc). I had a small belt bag to hold things like sunglasses and sun block in. I referred to it as a "Fanny Pack" and she went crazy, appalled that I would use that kind of language. It took a little explaining on both sides, but "Fanny" in the US is equivalent to saying "BUM" in the UK. She explain that "Fanny" is a vulgar way of referring to a part of the female anatomy in Australia.
Can anyone confirm that? Or was she "havin' a go with me"?
We settled on "Butt Bag" when referring to the pack.
SantaMufasa
Technical User
Yes, Sam, she was on the level. "Fanny" is an equally vulgar term in the UK (and probably the rest of the Commonwealth, except for Canada).Sam said:
When either I go to the UK or British friends come here, we compromise on "Belt Bag".
On a sidebar, months ago (because of a thread here), I started a lexicon of British-to-American translations. I'm currently up to about 400 terms that differ between the two cultures. (When I'm satisfied with its contents, I'll post it here on "Making an Impression".)
As far as whether she was "havin' a go with" you, I believe you would be the best judge of that. <cheeky grin>
Mufasa(aka Dave of Sandy, Utah, USA)
[I provide low-cost, remote Database Administration services: www.dasages.com]
MadMichael
Programmer
A recent announcement about cheap cars from India causes me to wonder if they will ever sell by that name in the USA, given the American slang usage 'bodacious ta-tas'.
SantaMufasa
Technical User
Could be a selling point...I know several guys that would love to ride "Ta-Tas" to work. <salacious grin>Michael said:
Mufasa(aka Dave of Sandy, Utah, USA)
[I provide low-cost, remote Database Administration services: www.dasages.com]
Tata Motors came out with a prototype 2-seater that looked suspiciously like Audi's. This prompted the wags at Road & Track to dub it the "Tata TT".
Phil H.
-----------
A virtual machine ate my accounting data. I transferred it to a physical box, then I beat it to smithereens with a sledgehammer. I feel better.
Phil H.
-----------
A virtual machine ate my accounting data. I transferred it to a physical box, then I beat it to smithereens with a sledgehammer. I feel better.
SantaMufasa
Technical User
...And while we're talking about Companies whose names do not work well in other countries due to their similar-sounding names to private anatomical parts, how come Volvo has been able to "get away with it" for all these years?
Mufasa
(aka Dave of Sandy, Utah, USA)
[I provide low-cost, remote Database Administration services: www.dasages.com]
Mufasa(aka Dave of Sandy, Utah, USA)
[I provide low-cost, remote Database Administration services: www.dasages.com]
dwarfthrower
Programmer
Sam said:
Confirmed... but it's more on the level of "pee-pee" than anything cruder. The kind of expression you'd hear from a small child rather than a sailor on shore-leave.
[sub]Never be afraid to share your dreams with the world.
There's nothing the world loves more than the taste of really sweet dreams.[/sub]
Webflo
dwarfthrower
Programmer
On a similar note, there was a deodorising spray marketed down-under some time ago under the brand name "Country Fresh".
[sub]Never be afraid to share your dreams with the world.
There's nothing the world loves more than the taste of really sweet dreams.[/sub]
Webflo
[sub]Never be afraid to share your dreams with the world.
There's nothing the world loves more than the taste of really sweet dreams.[/sub]
Webflo
SantaMufasa
Technical User
Sorry, I must be dense...I don't get it.Thrower said:
![[ponder]](/data/assets/smilies/ponder.gif "[ponder] [ponder]")
I need some 'splainin'.Mufasa(aka Dave of Sandy, Utah, USA)
[I provide low-cost, remote Database Administration services: www.dasages.com]
County Fresh reminds me of the air freshener in our bathroom. It's called "Pine Fresh", and is supposed to provide a fresh and welcoming fragrance. Hmmm... a little pointless really because after I've 'been' it doesn't hide the smell, it just smells like I've taken a dump in the woods.
santaMusafa said:
Not really, Santa. It's to do with Strine and the way some aussies sometimes stress their pronounciations.
Country Fresh becoming an unpleasant slang word for a part of female anatomy and a word that means to freshen again.
Cheers!
![[upsidedown]](/data/assets/smilies/upsidedown.gif "[upsidedown] [upsidedown]")
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