Transnational transvestites

Why do companies use for their brand names in different countries of the world? Everyone knows Opel, and many are aware that in the UK, these cars are known under the brand Vauxhall. In Australia, the same cars are called Holden.

Deodorant Axe (literally - "Axe") in the countries with the traditional understanding of English is known by delusions Lynx (United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland). Around the same story with bars Nuts, which in English slang means "egg", so in England the same chocolate is sold under the brand Topic.

Travel outside Russia, you will not find highly publicized paste Blend-A-Med by P & G, but will meet its full analogue called Crest - unlikely in Russia would buy toothpaste "Crest." Cif cleaner in England - Jif, France and Switzerland - Vif, Canada - Vim.

Even the strongest global brands have to adapt the strategy in the face of the local culture. Companies use the product localization strategy to take into account regional characteristics, the characteristics of a nation or an individual segment, fully responding to market demands. Examples of localization boasts nearly every multinational company, but the leaders in the "sex change" definitely P & G and Unilever.

We try to remember the biggest brands that you can not find in a foreign country when you're going on vacation:

Youth deodorant Axe, brand Unilever (US, Europe) - Lynx (Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, UK)

via adme.ru





Deodorant Rexona, Unilever - Sure (UK and Ireland) - Degree (North America)



Soap Lux - Caress (US)



Cif - Jif (Australia, New Zealand, some of the Nordic countries) - Vim (Canada)



Fairy - Dawn (Germany)



Johnson's Baby - Penaten (Germany, Poland, Czech Republic)



Mr. Clean (US, Canada) - Mr. Proper (Europe) - Maestro Limpio (Mexico and Latin America)



Lays - Walkers (Great Britain, France)



Vaseline - Vasenol (Portugal, Brazil, Italy, Spain)



Chocolate Dove (in the United States, China, Australia, Germany, Russia) - Galaxy



Nuts - Topic (UK)



Always - Whisper (Japan and Singapore)



Toothpaste Crest - Blend-a-Med (Germany, Ukraine, Russia, Poland)



Lenor - Downy (US)



Snickers - Marathon (formerly UK)



Twix - Raider (before 2000 in Europe)



Opel (US, Europe) - Vauxhall (UK) - Holden (Australia). At the General Motors decided to keep the historical names of plants purchased at different times.



It often happens that even very large producers make mistakes, producing brands to local markets.

General Motors company tried to promote Hispanic markets his car Chevrolet Nova, but failed. Since No Va means "Do not move».

Bacardi has released a fruit drink called «Pavian», which in French means "chic", but in German «Pavian» means "baboon." Imagine you go to the store and ask the seller a bottle "Baboon».

Perfume company Clairol introduced in Germany, its dry deodorants using clogan Mist Stick, meaning "Misty deodorant." But later it turned out that in German slang Mist («fog") means "dung».

Parker also tried to translate the slogan into Spanish. It handles advertising in English sounds - It will not leak in your pocket and embarrass you (rough translation: "She never leak in your pocket and do not cause inconvenience to you"). Translator mistaken and confused the two Spanish words. As a result, Parker advertising campaign in Mexico was held under the slogan "It never leak in your pocket and make you pregnant».

Colgate-Palmolive Company put on the French market its new toothpaste Cue. A little later the Americans know what the name is a popular French pornozhurnal.

When Gerber first started selling baby food in Africa, they used the same packaging as in the US - cute baby photo on the box. Over time, due to the low level of sales, they decided to investigate the situation and found out that in Africa because of the large number of illiterate people taken to represent the packaging ingredients in the product.

In the US, at Coors beer advertising used the slogan «Turn it Loose», which can be translated as "Be Free". But Spanish means "suffering from diarrhea».

Puffs Tissues were notorious in Germany, because «Puff» German slang for "public house».

Airline American Airlines installed in their aircraft leather seats and decided to inform the Mexican consumers. In English slogan sounded: Fly in Leather («Fly in Leather!"). Literally translated, this expression has acquired a different meaning: "Fly Naked!».

When Coca-Cola first came to China, the company has decided not to change the brand name, but the word in Chinese means "Bite the tadpole».

Scandinavian home appliance maker Electrolux withdrew its vacuum cleaners to the American market, using the slogan Nothing Sucks Like an Electrolux - «No one sucks like Electrolux».

The company Frank Purdue, which produces chicken in the United States uses the slogan It takes a strong man to make a tender chicken (To prepare the chicken tender required a strong man "). Translated into Spanish, this phrase has acquired a slightly different meaning: "We need a sexually excited man to become a tender chicken".

Company Pepsi literally translated into Chinese its main advertising slogan, "Live from the generation" Pepsi "(Come Alive With the Pepsi Generation). The Chinese were shocked: the slogan has gained unexpected sound "Pepsi challenge your Ancestors risen from the grave".

© Olga Ivanova

Source: