# Unfortunate/worst branding ever? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 18, 2008, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unfortunate-worst-branding-ever/473383 "2008-11-18T23:27:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**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 20, 2008, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unfortunate-worst-branding-ever/473383/61 "2008-11-20T21:07:23Z")
Is it true or urban legend that the Chevy Nova tanked in Spanish-speaking countries (No Va!)? ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2008, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unfortunate-worst-branding-ever/473383/62 "2008-11-20T21:09:57Z")
> [@Cisco](#): > > Oh, I forgot a local one. In the town I grew up in there was a dry cleaner called Johnson Cleaners. They must’ve had some sense of humor about themselves, because they sold tshirts with a guy with his pants around his ankles on them that said “Drop Your Pants at Johnson Cleaners.” There was another angle I don’t think they thought of - or at least they didn’t know how to react, when my friend and I called and asked how much it would cost to get our johnsons cleaned. It’s not as bad as how I first read it – thought the entire business was named after a person – Johnson **Cleaver** ’s :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2008, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unfortunate-worst-branding-ever/473383/63 "2008-11-20T21:23:33Z")
> [@CookingWithGas](#): > > Is it true or urban legend that the Chevy Nova tanked in Spanish-speaking countries (No Va!)? UL. It didn’t tank, and that’s not how they would say “it doesn’t go.” Also, it’s not even pronounced the same (stress on opposite syllables.) ---
**Author:** ![Roadfood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9fc348/32.png) [@Roadfood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roadfood)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2008, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unfortunate-worst-branding-ever/473383/64 "2008-11-21T01:24:52Z")
> [@Cisco](#): > > UL. It didn’t tank, and that’s not how they would say “it doesn’t go.” Also, it’s not even pronounced the same (stress on opposite syllables.) I’ll take your word that it’s an urban legend, but I’ll call you on claiming that it not tanking had anything to do with the fact that the name isn’t how they would say “it doesn’t go”. I mean, “no go” isn’t how we’d say it in English, either, but a car called the “Nogo” would still be laughed at, don’t you think? One tiny actual contribution to this thread: There used to be a flooring store around here called “Linoleum Dick’s”. To my friends and I when we were ten, that was hilarious. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2008, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unfortunate-worst-branding-ever/473383/65 "2008-11-21T01:35:46Z")
> [@Roadfood](#): > > I’ll take your word that it’s an urban legend, but I’ll call you on claiming that it not tanking had anything to do with the fact that the name isn’t how they would say “it doesn’t go”. I mean, “no go” isn’t how we’d say it in English, either, but a car called the “Nogo” would still be laughed at, don’t you think? [Here’s a cite.](http://www.snopes.com/business/misxlate/nova.asp) One strike against “no va” meaning anything in this context is that typically in Spanish for a car you’d say “no camino”, “no marcha”, or “no funciona.” ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2008, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unfortunate-worst-branding-ever/473383/66 "2008-11-21T01:50:33Z")
I still don’t get what’s wrong with the “Junior Jazz Dance Class” logo on the “worst logos” page. :smack: \<–preemptive strike. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2008, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unfortunate-worst-branding-ever/473383/67 "2008-11-21T01:58:46Z")
> [@Green\_Bean](#): > > I still don’t get what’s wrong with the “Junior Jazz Dance Class” logo on the “worst logos” page. > > :smack: \<–preemptive strike. Look for boobs. ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2008, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unfortunate-worst-branding-ever/473383/68 "2008-11-21T02:09:17Z")
> [@runner pat](#): > > Look for boobs. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2008, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unfortunate-worst-branding-ever/473383/69 "2008-11-21T02:27:05Z")
I was wondering about that one too. I mean, I guess the boys only hip hop could be misconstured as something homosexual, but not really. Now I see it. That’s pretty funny, and I have to assume on purpose. ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2008, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unfortunate-worst-branding-ever/473383/70 "2008-11-21T03:06:21Z")
> [@Roadfood](#): > > I’ll take your word that it’s an urban legend, but I’ll call you on claiming that it not tanking had anything to do with the fact that the name isn’t how they would say “it doesn’t go”. I mean, “no go” isn’t how we’d say it in English, either, but a car called the “Nogo” would still be laughed at, don’t you think? But “Nogo” isn’t a word in English. The Spanish word for nova is . . . nova. ---
**Author:** ![Frostillicus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Frostillicus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frostillicus)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2008, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unfortunate-worst-branding-ever/473383/71 "2008-11-21T03:16:33Z")
> [@](#): > > Hummer $8.25 Sounds like a real bargain to me. ---
**Author:** ![joyfool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df788c/32.png) [@joyfool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joyfool)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2008, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unfortunate-worst-branding-ever/473383/72 "2008-11-21T03:47:57Z")
Similarly related: I’ve probably mentioned this on the boards before (and a quick Google glance tells me this isn’t the only one), but there’s a muffler shop in Tyler Texas that has the legend “No muff too tuff!” in giant letters printed on the side of their building and has done so since at least the early 80s. I always wanted their to be a transmission place across the street. Their sign? “No stick we can’t lick!” What a waste of an opportunity. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![zoogirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b9bd4f/32.png) [@zoogirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoogirl)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2008, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unfortunate-worst-branding-ever/473383/73 "2008-11-21T04:04:49Z")
I used to live across the street from the Tickie Poo Laundromat. It’s still there. ---
**Author:** ![Sublight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@Sublight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sublight)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2008, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unfortunate-worst-branding-ever/473383/74 "2008-11-21T04:17:26Z")
> [@ralph124c](#): > > How about the Mitsubishi? Pajero? Yep, it’s marketed as Montero in the Americas, but Pajero everywhere else. In doing their ad campaigns we tried to talk them into setting up a separate web address using the Montero name, but they refused. So if you’re a Spanish speaker reading through the catalog, everything looks normal until you get to the back cover and see, “for more information, come visit our website at [www.wanker.com](http://www.wanker.com)” ---
**Author:** ![Drum\_God](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drum_god/32/44_2.png) [@Drum\_God](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drum_God)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2008, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unfortunate-worst-branding-ever/473383/75 "2008-11-21T04:29:48Z")
In the early 1980’s, a new school band method book was introduced. It was actually a pretty good book and lots of schools bought it. Then, a new disease was discovered and it was getting lots of publicity. Suddenly, band directors could not hand the book out to classrooms full of twelve year-olds. The book? _Aids for Band_ ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2008, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unfortunate-worst-branding-ever/473383/76 "2008-11-21T04:44:18Z")
> [@runner pat](#): > > [Some really unfortunate logos.](http://www.oddee.com/item_86090.aspx) I know I’m not the only one who stared for a rather LONG time at some that didn’t seem to have anything wrong with them, only to finally realize they were actual real freaking ads. I wonder if the advertisers have any hint of a notion that their ads are being interspersed with really bad logos (and badly photoshopped ads, etc). ---
**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 21, 2008, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unfortunate-worst-branding-ever/473383/77 "2008-11-21T04:52:45Z")
> [@Green\_Bean](#): > > I still don’t get what’s wrong with the “Junior Jazz Dance Class” logo on the “worst logos” page. > > :smack: \<–preemptive strike. Me neither. I can’t see boobs. Do you mean in the J’s, runner pat? They sort of look like boobs from the side view, but not very much. “Bernard Matthews’ Norfolk turkey burgers - they’re Norfolk ‘n’ good” ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2008, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unfortunate-worst-branding-ever/473383/78 "2008-11-21T05:00:50Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > Me neither. I can’t see boobs. Do you mean in the J’s, runner pat? They sort of look like boobs from the side view, but not very much. > “Bernard Matthews’ Norfolk turkey burgers - they’re Norfolk ‘n’ good” The two dancing figures at the bottom, the heads are the “nipples” It’s like that drawing where you see two faces in profile and then see the vase in between. ---
**Author:** ![Yookeroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yookeroo/32/323_2.png) [@Yookeroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yookeroo)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2008, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unfortunate-worst-branding-ever/473383/79 "2008-11-21T05:03:20Z")
> [@Chanteuse](#): > > Really! I remember watching the infomercial for this when it was first introduced and them saying that the product was named for the inventor’s daughter Nadine. I can imagine what it was like, cheering HER on in school competitions: “Go NADS!!” The Mission Viejo Nadadores (swim club) had sweatshirts the said GO NADS. ---
**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 21, 2008, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unfortunate-worst-branding-ever/473383/80 "2008-11-21T05:13:00Z")
> [@runner pat](#): > > The two dancing figures at the bottom, the heads are the “nipples” It’s like that drawing where you see two faces in profile and then see the vase in between. Gotcha. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unfortunate-worst-branding-ever/473383.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unfortunate-worst-branding-ever/473383.md?page=5)