Passage 2
Doing business in another country may be extremely tricky. For example, merely asking the right question is sometimes crucial. In one reported case, a paper-manufacturing firm neglected to inspect some wooded land for sale in Sicily prior to its purchase. Only after the company had bought the land, built a plant, and hired a labor force did it realize that the trees were only knee-high and not suitable for making paper. The plant had to import logs.
Numerous problems result from the failure to adapt packaging for different cultures. Sometimes only the color of the package needs to be altered to enhance a product’s sales. White, for instance, symbolizes death in much of Asia; green represents danger or disease in Malaysia. Obviously, use of these colors in these countries might produce negative reactions to products.
Some product names travel poorly. American Motor’s Matador car might conjure up images of strength and power in America, but in Puerto Rico its name means “Killer”, an unfavorable connotation in a place with a high traffic fatality rate. When the gasoline company Esso realized that its name means “stalled car” in Japan, it understood why it had had difficulties in that market.
However, some company names have travelled well. Kodak may be one of the most famous examples. A research team deliberately developed this name after searching for a word that was pronounceable everywhere but had no specific meaning anywhere.
Many international advertising errors are due to faulty translations. The best translations embody the general theme and concept of the original ad campaign but do not attempt to be precise duplicates of the original slogan. Pepsi Co. learned this lesson when it reportedly discovered that its slogan “Come alive with Pepsi” was literally translated into German as “Come alive out of the grave with Pepsi”. And in Asia, it was translated as “Bring your ancestors back from the dead.” General Motors encountered problems in Belgium, where “Body by Fisher” was translated as “Corpse by Fisher”.
Proper market research may reduce or eliminate most international business mistakes. Market researchers can uncover needs for product adaptation, potential name problems, promotional requirements, and proper market strategies. Good research techniques may even uncover potential translation problems.
49.Matador is a poor name because it has an unfavorable connotation in Puerto Rico, while Kodak is a good name because it has a favorable connotation in any language.