Choice Translating aims to prevent marketing mistranslations, such as these widely reported gaffes.
Parker Pen
Marketing: The Quink pen "won't leak and embarrass you."
Spanish mistranslation: The Quink pen won't embarazar you - make you pregnant.
Toyota
Suggested marketing: MR2 Sports Car.
Translation in French: "M-R-deux" sounded like merde, a common expletive
Bacardi
Suggested marketing: Pavane, an upscale bitters drink.
Translation in German: Pavane sounded too close to Pavian - baboon.
Coors
Marketing: "Turn it loose."
Spanish mistranslation: "Get loose bowels."
Ikea
Marketing: Gutvik children's bed.
Translation in German: Gutvik sounded very close to the German for "Good fuck."
General Motors
Suggested marketing: Buick LaCrosse car.
Translation in Quebecois French: La crosse is slang for self-gratification. The car was renamed the Allure for the Canadian market.
Mercedes-Benz
Pre-launch marketing: The Vision GST (Grand Sports Tourer) concept for a minivan.
In Canada: GST is associated with the highly unpopular Goods and Services Tax.
Hershey
Marketing: La Dulcería Thalía, a treat filled with caramel cream ("cajeta," in ads)
Translation in Spanish: Hershey's targeted its ad campaign at the Mexican market, but in other Spanish-speaking countries such as Argentina and Uruguay, "cajeta" is vulgar slang for female genitalia.
General Motors
Suggested marketing: Chevy Nova car.
Translation in Spanish: Sounds like "no va" meaning "no go"..
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