# Need a TRUE cross-cultural marketing blunder (not urban legend) **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 26, 2003, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-a-true-cross-cultural-marketing-blunder-not-urban-legend/215418 "2003-11-26T17:33:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2003, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-a-true-cross-cultural-marketing-blunder-not-urban-legend/215418/41 "2003-11-27T02:56:08Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by essohbee \* > \*\*Can’t give you a cite on it, but I read an interview with the head man on Honda Sweden, so it’s legit. \*\* I googled for “honda fitta” in Japanese and found a number of old articles that refer to a “Honda Fitta”. It appears that in Japan, the name was changed to **Fit** in May 2001 just before it went on the market as a 2002 model. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2003, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-a-true-cross-cultural-marketing-blunder-not-urban-legend/215418/42 "2003-11-27T03:32:15Z")
A few more suggestions. For some computer-related examples see [here](http://digilander.libero.it/chiediloapippo/Engineering/iarchitect/shame.htm) (check the **globalisation** section) and [here](http://www.useit.com/papers/international_usetest.html). A former colleague once told me about a discussion between an American and an Englishman working for the same company. One of them gave the other an instruction that a certain issue was to be ‘tabled’. Unfortunately, to an Englishman, ‘tabled’ means ‘put on the agenda for a meeting’ while to an American it means ‘set aside.’ Apparently it caused a big row when he did the opposite of what was intended. Meat exported from the UK to America (or possibly vice-versa) was labelled as ‘boned.’ But in the UK ‘boned’ usually means ‘contains bones’ while in America ‘boned’ usually means ‘bones removed.’ A current advert on UKTV tells about the importance of cultural knowledge. It’s advertising an international bank. It says that in Britain (and America) it is the custom for wedding guests to give the newlyweds a gift. But in another culture (Greek possibly?, I can’t remember offhand) the custom is for the new couple to give presents to the guests. It shows an image of a guest shaking the groom’s hand, and giving a gift to the bride. Then the next guest shakes the groom’s hand, and takes the gift from the bride’s hand and walks off. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2003, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-a-true-cross-cultural-marketing-blunder-not-urban-legend/215418/43 "2003-11-27T03:45:53Z")
Nobody else remembers the big fuss over the Nike Incubus shoe? I’ve never understood how you could come up with a name of a real thing and not know what that thing was. ---
**Author:** ![Shalmanese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shalmanese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shalmanese)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2003, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-a-true-cross-cultural-marketing-blunder-not-urban-legend/215418/44 "2003-11-27T03:47:15Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Mynn \* > \*\*what about hong kongs tourist campagain? hong kong will take your breath away … started shortly before the SARS epidemic. \*\* actually, it started shortly AFTER the SARS epidemic started which made it even worse. ---
**Author:** ![mapsmith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/848f3c/32.png) [@mapsmith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mapsmith)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2003, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-a-true-cross-cultural-marketing-blunder-not-urban-legend/215418/45 "2003-11-27T04:06:06Z")
Well, the local AJ’s Store in Tucson (and I am assuming Phoenix stores as well), recently came out with an ad for a dish called “Turducken” Supposedly a boneless duck, stuffed inside a boneless chicken, stuffed inside a boneless Turkey. Only saw one ad for it and then it has disappeared from sight. I would assume that some idiot advertising genius is now looking for a job. ---
**Author:** ![Lisa-go-Blind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Lisa-go-Blind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lisa-go-Blind)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2003, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-a-true-cross-cultural-marketing-blunder-not-urban-legend/215418/46 "2003-11-27T04:09:31Z")
No, turduckens are pretty common around the holidays, and have been for the past few years, at least. ---
**Author:** ![Indefatigable](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9d8465/32.png) [@Indefatigable](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indefatigable)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2003, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-a-true-cross-cultural-marketing-blunder-not-urban-legend/215418/47 "2003-11-27T04:41:58Z")
Regarding the Pokemon swastika: I shop in a Taiwanese grocery store with a friend fairly often, and upon inspecting some packages of instant noodles I found a swastika. I asked her what it meant, and she said it was a Buddhist symbol, and it was used to mean that the food was vegetarian. So in that context it meant ‘what would Buddha eat?’ 😃 ---
**Author:** ![habs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ecae2f/32.png) [@habs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/habs)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2003, 6:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-a-true-cross-cultural-marketing-blunder-not-urban-legend/215418/48 "2003-11-27T06:38:45Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by The Long Road \* > \*\*Doesn’t anyone remember the Pokemon Swastika incident? > > [http://www.geocities.com/swastika\_webring/pokemon.htm](http://www.geocities.com/swastika_webring/pokemon.htm) \*\* This reminds me of the old NES game “Legend of Zelda”, where the outline of the third labyrinth was actually a Manji (Japanese symbol of good luck). Of course, that didn’t stop people from thinking that it was a swastika. [This silly site](http://www.klimp.dk/vghaven/nazilink.asp) theorizes as to the connection between the Zelda games and Nazism. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Long\_Road](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b5a626/32.png) [@The\_Long\_Road](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Long_Road)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2003, 7:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-a-true-cross-cultural-marketing-blunder-not-urban-legend/215418/49 "2003-11-27T07:03:07Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by mapsmith \* > \*\*Well, the local AJ’s Store in Tucson (and I am assuming Phoenix stores as well), recently came out with an ad for a dish called “Turducken” Supposedly a boneless duck, stuffed inside a boneless chicken, stuffed inside a boneless Turkey. Only saw one ad for it and then it has disappeared from sight. I would assume that some idiot advertising genius is now looking for a job. \*\* There is nothing supposed about Turducken, which are excellent, at least to me. We had one last year and I will tell you that it was the best Thanksgiving main dish ever. By the way, you can order them from Amazon, [http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0000SWTEM/qid=1069916445//103-4538665-8435034?v=glance&s=gourmet-food&n=507846](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0000SWTEM/qid=1069916445//103-4538665-8435034?v=glance&s=gourmet-food&n=507846) The price is the reason we are sticking with a Turkey this year. Anyone who has not tried one is missing out, in my opinion at least. ---
**Author:** ![Coil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bb73d2/32.png) [@Coil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coil)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2003, 8:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-a-true-cross-cultural-marketing-blunder-not-urban-legend/215418/50 "2003-11-27T08:43:56Z")
Didn’t IKEA have a mirror named Glans (Swedish for shine) until someone reminded them of what it meant in English? **essohbee** I have seen a couple of Honda Fittas out on the streets. Always good for a laugh. ---
**Author:** ![Floater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/dc4da7/32.png) [@Floater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Floater)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2003, 11:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-a-true-cross-cultural-marketing-blunder-not-urban-legend/215418/51 "2003-11-27T11:12:36Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by scr4 \* > I googled for “honda fitta” in Japanese and found a number of old articles that refer to a “Honda Fitta”. It appears that in Japan, the name was changed to **Fit** in May 2001 just before it went on the market as a 2002 model. It was eventually renamed **Jazz**. ---
**Author:** ![ruadh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d2c977/32.png) [@ruadh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ruadh)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2003, 11:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-a-true-cross-cultural-marketing-blunder-not-urban-legend/215418/52 "2003-11-27T11:35:07Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by disponibilite \* > \*\*I would never buy any car named a tee tee if I wanted to seem macho. I doubt very many American males would. \*\* What does “tee tee” mean to you? ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2003, 11:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-a-true-cross-cultural-marketing-blunder-not-urban-legend/215418/53 "2003-11-27T11:52:48Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Floater \* > \*\*[The Honda Fitta] was eventually renamed **Jazz**. \*\* It’s still sold as the **Fit** in Japan. **Jazz** appears to be the European name for the same car. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2003, 12:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-a-true-cross-cultural-marketing-blunder-not-urban-legend/215418/54 "2003-11-27T12:02:41Z")
You might find inspiration in [this](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&postid=4279733#post4279733) thread. ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2003, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-a-true-cross-cultural-marketing-blunder-not-urban-legend/215418/55 "2003-11-27T13:01:18Z")
Campbell’s introduced their condensed soups in the UK, placing their small cans (to which you add water) against the local brands’ large cans (ready to eat) at close to the same price. ---
**Author:** ![Gest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9d8465/32.png) [@Gest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gest)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2003, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-a-true-cross-cultural-marketing-blunder-not-urban-legend/215418/56 "2003-11-27T13:08:27Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ruadh \* > \*\*What does “tee tee” mean to you? \*\* I’m guessing it sounds too much like _titty_ to him. As though that were a bad thing. For me it connotes the Isle of Man TT. Possibly the most dangerous road racing motorcycle event in the world and plenty macho. ---
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2003, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-a-true-cross-cultural-marketing-blunder-not-urban-legend/215418/57 "2003-11-27T13:14:06Z")
One I don’t think has been mentioned yet is the marketing troubles companies like Heinz and Gerber had in Africa with their tinned baby food. Because of the high level of illiteracy in certain parts of Africa, it is usual for grocery items to contain a picture of the contents on the label. And what does baby food have? Yup, a big, happy, chubby baby. :eek: Another, which may or may not be apocryphal, was when the Australian beer XXXX (pronounced “fourex”) was marketed in Canada. I believe Canada has, or had at the time, a brand of condom with the same name (forex, or somesuch). This was made worse by the use of the beer’s Australian slogan, “I can feel a Fourex coming on!” ---
**Author:** ![rodent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/4bbf92/32.png) [@rodent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rodent)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2003, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-a-true-cross-cultural-marketing-blunder-not-urban-legend/215418/58 "2003-11-27T14:29:11Z")
For lots of interesting Asian naming check out: [www.engrish.com](http://www.engrish.com) ---
**Author:** ![1kBR\_Kid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/1/dc4da7/32.png) [@1kBR\_Kid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/1kBR_Kid)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2003, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-a-true-cross-cultural-marketing-blunder-not-urban-legend/215418/59 "2003-11-27T14:32:15Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by TheLoadedDog \* > \*\*One I don’t think has been mentioned yet is the marketing troubles companies like Heinz and Gerber had in Africa with their tinned baby food. Because of the high level of illiteracy in certain parts of Africa, it is usual for grocery items to contain a picture of the contents on the label. And what does baby food have? Yup, a big, happy, chubby baby. :eek: > > Another, which may or may not be apocryphal, was when the Australian beer XXXX (pronounced “fourex”) was marketed in Canada. I believe Canada has, or had at the time, a brand of condom with the same name (forex, or somesuch). This was made worse by the use of the beer’s Australian slogan, “I can feel a Fourex coming on!” \*\* Heeeeey. wait a minute. I thought the OP wanted examples that are NOT urban legends. (???) > **[Did Baby Food Jars Horrify African Consumers?](https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/label-fable/)** > > Understanding where this decades-old tale came from is to see cultural prejudice at work. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2003, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-a-true-cross-cultural-marketing-blunder-not-urban-legend/215418/60 "2003-11-27T20:25:26Z")
It was mentioned by the OP who said he didn’t want to be told about baby food. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-a-true-cross-cultural-marketing-blunder-not-urban-legend/215418.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-a-true-cross-cultural-marketing-blunder-not-urban-legend/215418.md?page=4)