COMEDIAN0:

Globalization has brought great opportunities to expand business into other markets. Companies have seen their profits soar and their businesses develop hugely after they move into new areas of the world. But it's not all been plain sailing. There have been some big, and often quite funny, examples of companies that have not fully researched their target markets. Many of these mistakes have been made when trying to translate English slogans and product names into other languages.

Globalization has brought great opportunities to expand business into other markets. Companies have seen their profits soar and their businesses develop hugely after they move into new areas of the world. But it's not all been plain sailing. There have been some big, and often quite funny, examples of companies that have not fully researched their target markets. Many of these mistakes have been made when trying to translate English slogans and product names into other languages.
COMEDIAN1:

In the nineteen twenty's, Coca Cola Company had what may have been among the earliest translation gaffes for a global brand. Shopkeepers in China tried to come up with Chinese equivalent that sounded like the word Coke. Depending on the dialect, the literal translations ranged from "bite the wax tadpole"" to "female horse stuffed with wax"" Even something as simple as pizza can come run into problems. One advertiser started marketing his folded pizza, called a calzone, to Spanish speakers.

In the nineteen twenty's, Coca Cola Company had what may have been among the earliest translation gaffes for a global brand. Shopkeepers in China tried to come up with Chinese equivalent that sounded like the word Coke. Depending on the dialect, the literal translations ranged from "bite the wax tadpole" to "female horse stuffed with wax." Even something as simple as pizza can come run into problems. One advertiser started marketing his folded pizza, called a calzone, to Spanish speakers.
COMEDIAN2:

It didn't work out too well, To Spanish speakers, calzone means underwear .... I wonder if the business folded? If there was a lesson to learn from the examples we've seen, I think it has to be .... check your translations! Going local and using proficient translators who are native speakers of the language as well as being sensitive to cultural factors would have been one way to avoid these problems. Depending where you are from in the world you will interpret these images as well as the associations of these colors differently .... You might not think there would be many potential hazards .... white might be perfect for a Western style wedding .... but using white in advertising might not go down too well in parts of Asia where it's associated also with funerals .... and everyone loves white teet

It didn't work out too well, To Spanish speakers, calzone means underwear ... I wonder if the business folded? If there was a lesson to learn from the examples we've seen, I think it has to be ... check your translations! Going local and using proficient translators who are native speakers of the language as well as being sensitive to cultural factors would have been one way to avoid these problems. Depending where you are from in the world you will interpret these images as well as the associations of these colors differently ... You might not think there would be many potential hazards ... white might be perfect for a Western style wedding ... but using white in advertising might not go down too well in parts of Asia where it's associated also with funerals ... and everyone loves white teet
COMEDIAN3:

An ad campaign for a toothpaste company ran a ground when they found out that a product promising to whiten teeth was not popular with the target audience. Traditionally, the target audience favored something different: they chewed on a special nut which blackens teeth. The world's a big place and there are many opportunities for success in business, as long as you think carefully about the people you're trying to sell to!

An ad campaign for a toothpaste company ran a ground when they found out that a product promising to whiten teeth was not popular with the target audience. Traditionally, the target audience favored something different: they chewed on a special nut which blackens teeth. The world's a big place and there are many opportunities for success in business, as long as you think carefully about the people you're trying to sell to!