International Brand Naming And How Words Can Hurt You
- by Peter Bennett
- Published on 3/11/07
- Article views: 320
It was the famous publicist PJ Barnum who said in 1855 'I do not care what people say about me but get my name right'.
In today's international marketplace, getting names right is vital.
Marketers and brand managers are becoming more and more concerned that their newly created name will be inappropriate in their target markets.
We've all seen middle aged marketing executives embarrass themselves when trying to appear trendy to the youth market but things get even worse when attacking overseas markets.
What many people don't realize is that innocuous English product names often do not travel well. So called, 'bad' names, names which embarrass, offend or are just plain unsuitable, are profligate.
Bad products names, bad brand names and even bad company titles, are continuously spawned and the headlong drive towards globalization has given unwelcome publicity to all of them. There are many instances of where things have gone awry, most of them too rude to mention in this article.
It's not just names which need careful attention, straplines can go just as wrong. Take for example, Electrolux, the Swedish white goods company, who used the strapline 'Nothing sucks like an Electrolux' to great effect when promoting a vacuum cleaner across Europe. Unfortunately, when they used the same line for the US launch they became a laughing stock as 'sucks' means something is 'very bad' in America.
Bad translations on apparel can also convey the wrong message. Take the slogan 'I saw the potato', instead of the correct Spanish translation of 'I saw the Pope,' used on promotional T-Shirts for the Pope's visit to Miami.
The cost of such a damaging event cannot easily be counted. The very fact that a product might have to be hurriedly withdrawn, or quickly re-badged can have a catastrophic effect on the image, position and value of the brand and, of course its owner.
How can one put a value on that?
The cost can be enormous, with the repercussions leaving careers in tatters. It seems almost ridiculous to many outside the marketing business that there are still organisations that undertake no due diligence and take a chance on it being 'alright on the night'.
Most sensible people take out insurance to cover them for almost every event and occasion, yet when instances of such obvious potential devastation occur, it is always too late to do anything about it.
Traditional remedies such as expecting your advertising agency to provide such a service is, with some exceptions, a waste of time. It's like asking your dentist to give you a diagnosis in respect of a pain in your toe.
You might expect your translation agency to offer this service but, unless they are very experienced and have regularly handled the needs and demands of checking words worldwide, again you could be wasting your money. Proper checking involves much more than whether the word means something contentious or just risible in a foreign language.
So, what can be done to reduce the risks of things going wrong? Fortunately, there are a few simple but highly effective precautions which can be taken:
1. Remember names change with speech
There's a world of difference between the written and spoken word. Accents and dialects play havoc with the pronunciation of English words and vice versa.
Most of have had an experience of the way our own language is treated by foreigners. We sound similarly strange to foreigners when we try to speak in a language which isn't our own. Before deciding on a name, simply ask a native speaker of the target language if it sounds OK to them.
2. Avoid names that can't be pronounced easily, or at all
Although this sounds like another blatantly obvious point, it's something which many people forget completely. Many languages have an alphabet and a way of speaking which makes the reading of English words difficult or, in some extreme cases, practically impossible.
For instance, all words in Japanese end in either a vowel or the letter 'n' so it makes sense to chose a name which follows this convention. By doing this, you can be confident that your Japanese customers will be able to pronounce it without difficulty or embarrassment.
3. Avoid names that confuse
A name may meet every other criteria but due to culture, product qualities or its position in the market place, it may still confuse its intended consumer. This fault will seriously endanger product positioning and so clarity must be established.
Many years ago the then President of the USA, John F Kennedy was making a speech close to the Berlin Wall. He finished off in an effort to try to identify himself with the long-suffering inhabitants by announcing to his audience 'Ich bin ein Berliner'. Unfortunately, and unknown, to the President he was telling everyone that he was a doughnut; a Berliner being the popular name for a local pastry.
I am often amazed that companies spend tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars launching a product with a name which is so obviously wrong that it would have been flagged as inappropriate immediately had they undertaken proper checking.
The cost of checking is tiny compared to the damage caused by not doing so.
Peter Bennett is CEO of London Translations Limited which specializes in
international name checking and linguistic assessment: Download his FREE report
International Brand Disasters and How To Avoid Them' from:
http://www.london-translations.co.uk/validata.
More Articles
-
-
-
» Latest articles
-
» Highest rated articles
- Event Promotion Techniques that really work
If you organise an event, they will show up - the notion could just work. However, if you want an excellent ending for your event, you will need a lot more than just faith and commotion. Even the most reliable events need a powerful promotional drive to fill up the space.
- International Brand Naming And How Words Can Hurt You
It was the famous publicist PJ Barnum who said in 1855 'I do not care what people say about me but get my name right'. In today's international marketplace, getting names right is vital. Marketers and brand managers are becoming more and more concerned that their newly created name will be inappropriate in their target markets.
- Increase Conversion with Situational Selling
When you walk into a sporting goods store, does the salesperson immediately assume that you play hockey? Of course not. In fact, he'd probably never make a sale if he greeted every customer with 'Hi! We've got some great ice skates in just your size. Would you like to see a pair?' On the other hand, the one-size-fits-all sales pitch -- 'Hello, may I help you?' -- doesn't exactly entice shoppers to break out the old wallet either.
- Effective Marketing on a Shoestring Budget
Many business owners would give their left arm to have the same brand recognition as Oprah, Microsoft, McDonald's, Starbucks or Amazon.com. But you don't need the marketing budgets of these behemoths to promote your company and get your piece of the pie. A creative approach to self-promotion will put you face to face with your prospects and, properly executed, can help you become a well-known name.
- Why the Best Marketing Tactics May Fail You
Ever wonder why some marketing tactics work for some businesses but not others? Maybe you heard about a business that paints their company website's URL on the top of their delivery trucks and increased online sales by 25% in a single quarter. However, when you try the same tactic, your sales remain flat.
- Why the Best Marketing Tactics May Fail You
Ever wonder why some marketing tactics work for some businesses but not others? Maybe you heard about a business that paints their company website's URL on the top of their delivery trucks and increased online sales by 25% in a single quarter. However, when you try the same tactic, your sales remain flat.
- Three Ways to Start a Conversation and Finish with a Sale
Ditch your elevator pitch. Zap your infomercial. And whatever you do, keep your carefully worded, painstakingly developed, positioning statement to yourself. They may make you sound clever, but your elevator pitch, infomercial or positioning statement don’t exactly make for good conversations. Which is a shame, because last I checked, even a sales conversation is just that – a conversation.
- Increase Conversion with Situational Selling
When you walk into a sporting goods store, does the salesperson immediately assume that you play hockey? Of course not. In fact, he'd probably never make a sale if he greeted every customer with 'Hi! We've got some great ice skates in just your size. Would you like to see a pair?' On the other hand, the one-size-fits-all sales pitch -- 'Hello, may I help you?' -- doesn't exactly entice shoppers to break out the old wallet either.
- Effective Marketing on a Shoestring Budget
Many business owners would give their left arm to have the same brand recognition as Oprah, Microsoft, McDonald's, Starbucks or Amazon.com. But you don't need the marketing budgets of these behemoths to promote your company and get your piece of the pie. A creative approach to self-promotion will put you face to face with your prospects and, properly executed, can help you become a well-known name.
- International Brand Naming And How Words Can Hurt You
It was the famous publicist PJ Barnum who said in 1855 'I do not care what people say about me but get my name right'. In today's international marketplace, getting names right is vital. Marketers and brand managers are becoming more and more concerned that their newly created name will be inappropriate in their target markets.
- Types And Uses of Medieval Armor
The earliest form of medieval armor -- mail (a.k.a. 'chain mail') -- traces its origins back to around 500 BC. The Celtic people developed this kind of armor -- iron rings woven together into a protective garment -- and the Roman Army later copied this engineering to protect its soldiers.
- Know About Otitis Externa
Otitis extern is a common problem of the ears. The inflammation occurs in the outer era canal and affects the tube that is located in between the ear drum and the surface of the external ear. This disease is commonly known as swimmers ear. Generally bacterial growth of the fungal infection can cause this problem.
- Diamond Color Grading Scale
Diamonds come in virtually all colors of the rainbow, from the 'beautiful violet' of the Hope diamond to shades of blue, brown, gray, orange, etc. But colored diamonds are very rare and precious. Chances are, all the diamonds you'll see in your diamond shopping will be white or yellow, and the whiter the better. Some people are more sensitive to the color of diamonds.
- Should Alcohol Ads be Banned on Television And Internet?
It is hard to battle alcohol addiction when television seems to urge people to drink. Alcohol and liquor ads are everywhere. Even if you browse the internet, you will find loads of alcohol ads. These ads are very encouraging. They cover up the many warnings of the harmful effects of alcohol in the body.
- Is there a reason that American Football is not an Olympic sport?
Has it ever surprised you that one of the greatest sports in one of the greatest nations is not shared with the rest of the world? This article is meant to point out some of the peculiar reasons that it might not qualify for any future Olympic Games.
- Ecommerce Checkout - Make Them Register
The world of ecommerce is expanding daily as more and more retailers take their business to the web in the hopes of attracting a percentage of those ever finicky web shoppers. As the amount of businesses open up ecommerce shops online, the amount of web development companies is also growing, offering ecommerce solutions for even the smallest of budgets. It is important that web developers understand the dynamics of the checkout process when discussing the options with the client.
- Common mistakes before starting a website
If you want your website to be a big hit then you need to avoid some common mistakes before starting one. Here you have a list of pitfalls that are designed for beginner and for many established ones too. Check out the common mistakes that have to be avoided for sure!
- How to Create a MySpace Layout
Creating a MySpace layout might seem tricky when you think about it but it is actually pretty easy. Here's a few steps that will help you in designing myspace templates.
- Reiki and how it can help you Heal
Reiki is a valuable healing tool which involves the practitioner placing his or her hands on the client without actually manipulating the body in any way. This makes Reiki an ideal healing tool for people who suffer from all kinds of conditions, both physical and emotional. This article discusses what is involved in a Reiki session and what training a Reiki practitioner undergoes.
- A History of Vintage Automobiles - From 1916 to 1924
Before cars were around, people usually traveled distances using horse-drawn carriages. But as early as 1335 several bright minds have been trying to come up with a 'horseless carriage'.
