Localisation Faux Pas (Archive)

January 2005

Know your target audience:

In Quebec an American-based canned fish manufacturer placed a newspaper ad that showed a woman in shorts playing golf with a man. The ad continued that she could enjoy golf that afternoon and still have time to prepare a dinner of canned fish. Too bad that the ad missed the customs that women did not wear shorts on golf courses, play golf with mixed teams, or serve canned fish as a main course.

Mountain Bell Company tried to promote its telephone and services to Saudi's. Its ad portrayed an executive talking on the phone with his feet propped up on the desk, showing the soles of his shoes-- something an Arab would never do!

The American slogan for Salem cigarettes (Salem--feeling free!) was trnaslated in the Japanese market as "When smoking Salem, you feel so refreshed that your mind seems to be free and empty.