# 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:** 6
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2008, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unfortunate-worst-branding-ever/473383/101 "2008-11-21T23:18:35Z")
There’s always [Bunghole Liquors](http://www.bungholeliquors.com/). ---
**Author:** ![beanpod](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a9adbd/32.png) [@beanpod](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beanpod)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2008, 7:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unfortunate-worst-branding-ever/473383/102 "2008-11-22T07:26:48Z")
McDonald’s tried to be hip and failed, oh so spectacularly: > **[awfulcommercials.com](http://www.awfulcommercials.com/archives/2005/02/24/youd-do-what/)** > > This domain may be for sale! and also here: [http://www.andrewteman.org/blog/index.php?p=39](http://www.andrewteman.org/blog/index.php?p=39) The banner: A dude, fantasizing about a cheeseburger, thinking “I’d hit that.” A link to Urban Dictionary, for those not in the know: [Urban Dictionary: I'd Hit it](http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=i'd+hit+it) ---
**Author:** ![Hostile\_Dialect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e495f1/32.png) [@Hostile\_Dialect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hostile_Dialect)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2008, 10:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unfortunate-worst-branding-ever/473383/103 "2008-11-22T10:06:49Z")
> [@Hal Briston](#): > > Exactly what I came in to mention. The commercial is either horrifying or hilarious, depending on your perspective. “Why take diet pills when you can enjoy AYDS?” How about _both_ horrifying _and_ hilarious? :eek: > [@Unauthorized Cinnamon](#): > > How about Bimbo bakeries? I’m pretty sure it’s a Mexican company, FTR. I’m surprised anyone knows about Bimbo in North Carolina. > [@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? Not if it were pronounced “Noggo”. “Nova” and “no va” are pronounced differently in Spanish. A native speaker of the language wouldn’t make the connection, any more than we would think that (say) “Tabell” meant “table”. > [@constanze](#): > > See-mens In other words, it sounds like “semen”. Yes, that would be the point. ---
**Author:** ![Laudenum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7993a0/32.png) [@Laudenum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laudenum)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2008, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unfortunate-worst-branding-ever/473383/104 "2008-11-22T14:09:50Z")
> [@Ferret\_Herder](#): > > There’s the prototype for GM’s [first electric car](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Motors_EV1), which was called the Impact. :dubious: Not my idea of a good car name. In Ireland, the union that pilots negotiate under is called IMPACT. I seem to be the only person who finds it funny. ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2008, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unfortunate-worst-branding-ever/473383/105 "2008-11-22T16:00:50Z")
Ooh I just remembered another one. I know for sure that the owner of [Rim Liquor](http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2109/2467063518_ee9de1e41f.jpg?v=0) didn’t know what he was doing when he named the place, because I talked to him. It’s near the Mogollon Rim and **everything** up there is named Rim something. He’s capitalized on it with funny tshirts now, though. ---
**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 22, 2008, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unfortunate-worst-branding-ever/473383/106 "2008-11-22T16:13:43Z")
> [@Hostile\_Dialect](#): > > I’m pretty sure it’s a Mexican company, FTR. I’m surprised anyone knows about Bimbo in North Carolina. I know about it in England, owing to a scene in Kill Bill where Uma Thurman is seen in close proximity to a loaf of bread with Bimbo written on the side. ---
**Author:** ![BMax](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bmax/32/4267_2.png) [@BMax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMax)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2008, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unfortunate-worst-branding-ever/473383/107 "2008-11-22T16:48:01Z")
> [@Hello\_Again](#): > > I always thought the “cavalier” was one of the all time worst-named cars in history. Did they not notice that a secondary, but still very common meaning of the word was “careless?” At Chevy, we’re cavalier about quality! > > In more recent car-naming fiascos, the Chevy “crossfire.” It could mean an engine malfunction OR a deadly spray of bullets. I can’t really think of the meaning of the word that _isn’t_ something horrible. Just remember folks - don’t get killed in the crossfire! And the name makes it a very popular car with members of the Ku Klux Klan. > [@constanze](#): > > Quote: > Originally Posted by minlokwat > I always thought Siemens was a terrible corporate name; evidently, they don’t.. > > Okay, please explain what’s terrible about the name of the scientist/inventor who founded it over a hundred years ago? > > Maybe you’re pronouncing it wrong? Words from other languages should not be pronounced as if written according to English spelling, but according to the rules of their native language, so in this case, it’s See-mens (I don’t know IPA symbols). It’s pronounced the same as Semen. I sell their products at work now, and working with their people makes it clear that Siemens really does come from dicks. ---
**Author:** ![Rysto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ecccb3/32.png) [@Rysto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rysto)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2008, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unfortunate-worst-branding-ever/473383/108 "2008-11-22T17:12:42Z")
Ottawa: Technically Beautiful The city paid consultants a lot of money to come up with that one. :smack: There’s also Karson Kartage & Konstruction. You really have to wonder about people who would deliberately misspell two words to come up with _that_ acronym. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2008, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unfortunate-worst-branding-ever/473383/109 "2008-11-22T17:45:08Z")
Anybody else remember the hoopla over [Uptown Cigarettes](http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C0CE2DE1338F931A25752C0A966958260&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=all), from RJ Reynolds? ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2008, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unfortunate-worst-branding-ever/473383/110 "2008-11-22T19:18:28Z")
> [@norinew](#): > > Well, I still buy 'em. I wouldn’t care if they were called Evil Nazi of Death baked beans, they are the only baked beans out of a can that I don’t need to “doctor up”! 😉 Haven’t tried the baked version, but I don’t care for their other products. They have a suspiciously syrupy texture that tells me they may add corn syrup or some other additive to them. ---
**Author:** ![Jenaroph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e8c25b/32.png) [@Jenaroph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jenaroph)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2008, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unfortunate-worst-branding-ever/473383/111 "2008-11-22T19:30:44Z")
Saw a box of this [laundry detergent](http://www.iran-export.com/Exporter/company/PAXAN/detergnt.htm) in New York. ---
**Author:** ![Hazle\_Weatherfield](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Hazle\_Weatherfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hazle_Weatherfield)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2008, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unfortunate-worst-branding-ever/473383/112 "2008-11-22T19:31:29Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > I know about it in England, owing to a scene in Kill Bill where Uma Thurman is seen in close proximity to a loaf of bread with Bimbo written on the side. Post #52 ---
**Author:** ![X.E.Zainus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/67e7ee/32.png) [@X.E.Zainus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/X.E.Zainus)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2008, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unfortunate-worst-branding-ever/473383/113 "2008-11-22T21:03:16Z")
Cock soup anyone? [http://www.buygracefoods.com/site/product.cfm?id=cock\_soup\_env](http://www.buygracefoods.com/site/product.cfm?id=cock_soup_env) ---
**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 22, 2008, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unfortunate-worst-branding-ever/473383/114 "2008-11-22T22:07:47Z")
> [@Hazle\_Weatherfield](#): > > Post #52 What about it? ---
**Author:** ![Unauthorized\_Cinnamon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/bc8723/32.png) [@Unauthorized\_Cinnamon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Unauthorized_Cinnamon)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2008, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unfortunate-worst-branding-ever/473383/115 "2008-11-22T22:33:00Z")
> [@Hostile\_Dialect](#): > > I’m pretty sure it’s a Mexican company, FTR. I’m surprised anyone knows about Bimbo in North Carolina. We have one of the fastest growing Latino populations in America. And while they started in Mexico, they do have a U.S. presence. And don’t get me wrong, I figured it was less a situation of “look what those dummies did” than “my, that’s an unfortunate coincidence.” And the Bimbo bear is totally adorable. ---
**Author:** ![Pyper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Pyper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pyper)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2008, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unfortunate-worst-branding-ever/473383/116 "2008-11-23T02:07:20Z")
I ran into a few of these in England, notably “Bland Travel” and “Lilywhite,” which sold sports clothing. ---
**Author:** ![NDP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ndp/32/55_2.png) [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2008, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unfortunate-worst-branding-ever/473383/117 "2008-11-23T02:13:56Z")
> [@Unauthorized\_Cinnamon](#): > > And the Bimbo bear is totally adorable. [Not everyone thinks so.](http://www.bad-candy.com/candies/rebanadas/) ---
**Author:** ![Hostile\_Dialect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e495f1/32.png) [@Hostile\_Dialect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hostile_Dialect)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2008, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unfortunate-worst-branding-ever/473383/118 "2008-11-23T02:32:56Z")
> [@Unauthorized Cinnamon](#): > > We have one of the fastest growing Latino populations in America. And while they started in Mexico, they do have a U.S. presence. And don’t get me wrong, I figured it was less a situation of “look what those dummies did” than “my, that’s an unfortunate coincidence.” And the Bimbo bear is totally adorable. Ah. I thought they were only here because of proximity, like how you can get Mexican Coca-Cola at convenience stores here. Yeah, of course it’s just an unfortunate coincidence. But a hilarious one 😉 And yes, the bear is totally adorable. Which is probably the strangest part of it. Oh, and **NDP** , that was hilarious! ---
**Author:** ![wunderkammer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ed8c4c/32.png) [@wunderkammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wunderkammer)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2008, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unfortunate-worst-branding-ever/473383/119 "2008-11-24T14:18:32Z")
I must be in the minority here, because the brand is very popular, but I can’t hear **Trojan** without certain things coming to mind. Things like tiny,virile warriors sneaking into the city, etc… I know better than to let a Trojan horse into the gate of my city. ---
**Author:** ![psychonaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/psychonaut/32/4655_2.png) [@psychonaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychonaut)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2008, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unfortunate-worst-branding-ever/473383/120 "2008-11-24T15:48:49Z")
> [@Muffin](#): > > **CRAP** – the name of the Conservative Reform Alliance Party, which was chosen when the Canadian Conservative party merged with some brethern further to the right. They actually never went by that name. The closest was “Canadian Conservative Reform Alliance”—the word “Party” wasn’t part of the official name, though I suppose some people may have tacked it onto the end for the humour value. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unfortunate-worst-branding-ever/473383.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unfortunate-worst-branding-ever/473383.md?page=7)