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Localisation Faux Pas (Archive)
March 2003 |
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In 1996, Panasonic developed a complete
Japanese Web browser. In order to make the system user-friendly, the
company licensed the cartoon character Woody Woodpecker as the
"Internet guide." Panasonic hoped to eventually release a
world-wide version of the product.
A huge marketing campaign was planned to first introduce the product in Japan. An American staff member at the internal product launch explained to the stunned and embarrassed Japanese what the phrases "Touch Woody" and "Pecker" meant in American slang. (Adapted from: The Humour Archives: "Touch Woody" - http://www.thehumorarchives.com/humor/0000446.html) |
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