Marketing mistakes abroad

[whnuien]

I'm a Mario Kart fan and I did always wonder why the monkey is called Donkey Kong when he is not even a donkey!

By the way, one thing that I found to be funniest here in my country is the lottery. One of the lottery companies here is called TOTO 4D. But in my mother tongue language, TOTO means female's V. So when a group of villagers from my village are going to buy a lottery number then they will have an endless jokes about going to buy a female's V!

[PashaR]

On the cover of an English language textbook in China:

Eingsh

On a vending machine in a bathroom:

"Because I do not have a tissue always ready in this restroom, please buy used one."

I would hope that the used ones are free!

[Trellum]

Sadly I have seen many, here are some of my fav ones:

Just when you thought they couldn't make it worse

[linguaholic]

Those examples are hilarious, Trellum. Thanks for sharing, hehe.

The last one is really funny. Of course it's Japanese. They always seem to have the weirdest stuff :=)

[RobbertClaus]

This principle applies to every layer of marketing, down to the smallest digital asset. When creating campaigns for different regions, even the micro-interactions within a display ad need cultural vetting.This is one reason I'm a strong advocate for the strategic use of rich media display ads in global campaigns. Their dynamic nature allows for more nuanced storytelling and customization based on user interaction or locale, which can be a powerful tool for respectful and effective engagement. A well-built rich media unit can adapt its message, offer, or even imagery to better align with local sensibilities, turning a potential misstep into a moment of connection. It’s a reminder that great international marketing requires both creative flexibility and technical precision.