Translation faux pas in marketing are legendary...and as new products continue to enter this globalized world it’s not uncommon to hear of brands running into such quandaries
The latest to join the list is the Microsoft mp3 player Zune. Launched to compete against the IPOD, Zune found itself in a linguistic pickle when launching in Canada. Turns out Zune sounds like a French-Canadian term ‘zoune’ used as a euphemism for penis or vagina."
Interestingly, the naming firm responsible for Zune, which uses 80 linguistics in 39 countries to catch such double entendres, claims that they were well aware of this likely translation as was Microsoft and this was a deliberated decision which took into account the possible impact. In this case, the likely translation was a not very popular French Canadian slang, and so Microsoft didn’t expect it was cause much more than a few giggles and at the most of couple of articles/posts in the media/blog universe— A calculated move that seems to have paid off for Zune and Microsoft.
I don’t envy such a conundrum though – considering there are around 6700 languages in the world, never mind the dialects and slangs. So as a marketer, when looking into possible translation trouble, don’t go in thinking you will be able avoid it all. What is more important is that you identify potential issues, analyze the scope and possible impact…and then decide whether or not to proceed.
Showing posts with label branding. Show all posts
Showing posts with label branding. Show all posts
Monday, May 12, 2008
Monday, April 21, 2008
What's in a name?
Kentucky Fried Chicken
KFC
Kentucky Grilled Chicken
Turns out that Kentucky Fried Chicken, which not so long ago changed its name to KFC in an attempt to disassociate itself from the word "fried", is going back to being called "Kentucky Fried Chicken".
Not only is it looking to embrace it southern fried food heritage, it's also bringing back its Col. Sanders logo. According to BusinessWeek, a Kentucky Fried Chicken spokesperson recently said: "Consumers tell us they love Kentucky Fried Chicken. And many of our customers never stopped calling us Kentucky Fried Chicken."
So what's the learning here for marketers... before you change your name/branding that you spent millions building, ask your loyal consumers what they think. In this case, KFC realized that even after changing its name, and updating its menu, what was really selling was the "fried stuff" and not the "healthy stuff".
It boils down to consumer insight. Something Coke missed when they launched New Coke...and something KFC should have looked at before they spent millions on rebranding themselves without their middle name.
I did come across a rumor that said that KFC was looking to rebrand itself as Kentucky Grilled Chicken... but that rumor hasn’t been substantiated. Imagine that!
Disclaimer: In no way am I promoting unhealthy fried food at a time when the Center of Disease Control attributed the 400,000 deaths in March 2004 to obesity, poor diet and inactivity.
All I am saying is know your audience… and stay true to them. Something David Kiley says in his BusinessWeek blog may hit the message home "I can't help but draw a comparison between what KFC is doing and what the Republican Party has done so well to galvanize its base. It doesn't pretend to be green. It doesn't apologize for driving SUVs. It has made "liberal" a dirty word and painted the Dems with it until the mass media has basically adopted "liberal" as a four letter word." Amen!
KFC
Kentucky Grilled Chicken
Turns out that Kentucky Fried Chicken, which not so long ago changed its name to KFC in an attempt to disassociate itself from the word "fried", is going back to being called "Kentucky Fried Chicken".
Not only is it looking to embrace it southern fried food heritage, it's also bringing back its Col. Sanders logo. According to BusinessWeek, a Kentucky Fried Chicken spokesperson recently said: "Consumers tell us they love Kentucky Fried Chicken. And many of our customers never stopped calling us Kentucky Fried Chicken."
So what's the learning here for marketers... before you change your name/branding that you spent millions building, ask your loyal consumers what they think. In this case, KFC realized that even after changing its name, and updating its menu, what was really selling was the "fried stuff" and not the "healthy stuff".
It boils down to consumer insight. Something Coke missed when they launched New Coke...and something KFC should have looked at before they spent millions on rebranding themselves without their middle name.
I did come across a rumor that said that KFC was looking to rebrand itself as Kentucky Grilled Chicken... but that rumor hasn’t been substantiated. Imagine that!
Disclaimer: In no way am I promoting unhealthy fried food at a time when the Center of Disease Control attributed the 400,000 deaths in March 2004 to obesity, poor diet and inactivity.
All I am saying is know your audience… and stay true to them. Something David Kiley says in his BusinessWeek blog may hit the message home "I can't help but draw a comparison between what KFC is doing and what the Republican Party has done so well to galvanize its base. It doesn't pretend to be green. It doesn't apologize for driving SUVs. It has made "liberal" a dirty word and painted the Dems with it until the mass media has basically adopted "liberal" as a four letter word." Amen!
Monday, March 10, 2008
Brand Extensions.... what to keep in mind...
As I continue to ramble, I want to reiterate (one more time) that most of what I say in this blog may not seem like rocket science. And its not. But as we strive to over perform in our professional/personal roles, it’s the very basic and seemingly mundane concepts that we take for granted....
That said; let’s go back to the world of brand extensions. What are the 5 things to keep in mind when considering a brand extension?
Top 5 things to consider:
1. The brand should have equity and awareness in the market....if the brand isn’t recognizable, the extension is pointless
2. The extension should be a logical fit for the consumer. There should be synergy (and that’s why Trump Steak didn’t work)
3. The extension should make business sense.
4. Look out for over-extension - avoid slapping the brand name on everything possible.
5. For the extension, select a permeable category - not an over-saturated category with strong market leaders.
That said; let’s go back to the world of brand extensions. What are the 5 things to keep in mind when considering a brand extension?
Top 5 things to consider:
1. The brand should have equity and awareness in the market....if the brand isn’t recognizable, the extension is pointless
2. The extension should be a logical fit for the consumer. There should be synergy (and that’s why Trump Steak didn’t work)
3. The extension should make business sense.
4. Look out for over-extension - avoid slapping the brand name on everything possible.
5. For the extension, select a permeable category - not an over-saturated category with strong market leaders.
Play-Duh!
Sure, brand extensions are popular.. and some are actually successful. Think Oprah's O Magazine, Pet Smart's Smart Hotel, Nike Sports wear....
But what do you say when Hasbro comes up with a colonge to celebrate Play-Doh's 50th anniversary.
According to the folks at Hasbro the fragrance is meant for highly-creative people, who seek a whimsical scent reminiscent of their childhood...."Close your eyes and you're back in kindergarten all over again! It's amazing how the scent of Play-Doh can take you to another time and place. "
Sigh!
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