Localisation Faux Pas (Archive)

It is not only language that needs to be localised for different markets. Using animal imagery to promote goods intended for global consumption, for example, is fraught with dangers. A U.S. brand of deodorant enjoyed great success in the U.S. with its witty advertisement showing an octopus using the product under each of its eight "arms." When translated and shown in Japan, however, it confused locals; the Japanese consider octopus to have eight legs rather than eight arms.

Similarly, a U.S. marketing firm discovered that while a deer was a sign of masculinity in the U.S., it conveyed a slightly different image in Brazil, where "deer" is slang for homosexual. Another company erred when it chose an owl as part of its promotional efforts in India. In this case the problem was that Indians view the owl as a symbol of bad luck.