Sloppy language translation can undermine export drive

Another sensitive area Durex will have to be conscious of when selling to the Chinese is the trip wires of language and cultural differences, unresearched and loose translation have in the past embarrassed many companies attempting to promote products in strange new markets. When the Parker pen company marketed a ball-point pen in Mexico, the ads were supposed to say: "It won't leak and embarrass you." Confusion over the Spanish word "embarazar" produced the slogan: It won't leak and make you pregnant." A major Japanese tourist agency, after opening an office in London, was mystified by requests for unusual sex tours, necessitating a speedy local name change for the Kinki Nippon Tourist Company. A Spanish orange juice company, pushing sales in Britain, devised a ad campaign to extol the juice's pick-me-up qualities with the message "Orange juice - it gets your pecker up". And a US chicken company exporting to Mexico decided to run with its successful slogan of "It takes a tough man to make a tender chicken". To much amusement, a photo of the Garth Brooksattired company chairman, along with one of his live chickens, appeared on billboards throughout Mexico. The Spanish caption helpfully explained: "It takes a hard man to make a chicken aroused." Durex could enquire about copyright on the last two.