Failed Ad Campaigns

[Ming]

Originally posted by JohnT
"Works" for, MRT. Ming implies that he is still employed by them.

Nahhh... But I did work for them when that campaign was launched I worked there for over 20 years...

[JohnT]

I wonder why?

"Brought to you by the people who invented the "Where's Herb?" campaign" probably isn't the best of pitches, come to think about it.

[MRT144]

what about "the noid" from dominoes...

[Harovan]

Originally posted by Ming
Some of the worst campaigns can usually be found when companies try to translate their ads to international markets...

As far as I heard, the Mitsubishi car brand "Pajero" gives Spanish speakers giggles, because it translates into something censored on Apolyton.

[Sava]

I think the most immoral ads are the Pharmaceutical ads for medicines. Now, people go to the doctor clamoring for medication. Doctor's should be the ones telling people what's best for their condition. I don't have a problem with Viagra or quit-smoking stuff, but allergy and asthma commercials piss me off the most. And most of these new medicines have side-effects that are worse than the condition they are trying to help. Case in point... I was taking Paxil for depression a year ago and the "sexual side-effects" were much worse than my depression. I told my doctor, "Sh1t man, I'd rather feel like sh1t than not be able to bust a load." My doctor told me that the Pharmy companies give tons of free stuff in order for the Docs to push their medication.

The 10-10-220 sh1t bothers me to.

Sorry if my picks aren't in tune with the spirit of the topic. They aren't really funnny. In fact, they're sad.

[Q Classic]

carrottop.

in att ads.

somebody put him out of his misery and cap that bastard.

[ixnay]

The Chevy Nova thing is just an urban legend:

http://www.snopes.com/business/misxlate/nova.htm

As well as the Coke translated into Chinese story:

http://www.snopes.com/business/misxlate/#tadpole

And it's uncertain whether the pepsi translation is true or not.

http://66.165.133.65/business/misxlate/ancestor.htm

[Ming]

Originally posted by ixnay
The Chevy Nova thing is just an urban legend:

From the link...

The Chevy Nova legend lives on in countless marketing textbooks, is repeated in numerous business seminars, and is a staple of newspaper and magazine columnists who need a pithy example of human folly. Perhaps someday this apocryphal tale will become what it should be: an illustration of how easily even "experts" can sometimes fall victim to the very same dangers they warn us about.

Hmmm... that might explain why I've heard it at countless seminars

[Urban Ranger]

Originally posted by ixnay
As well as the Coke translated into Chinese story:

http://www.snopes.com/business/misxlate/#tadpole

I am quite sure Snopes has mistaken this time. AFAIK, the character for horses has a "m" sound. Two characters make up "tapole." While the first one does have a "k" sound, the second one has a "t" sound.

So no, it doesn't fit.

[Az]

Originally posted by SnowFire
For those of you who can dare stand the horror... I present Johnny Turbo. Perhaps the most pathetic example of advertising I've seen.
http://sardius.fefea.org/reviews/jturbo/

That place is a gold mine. a jewel. a must-read. I took a look at the pictures first, and giggled. But then, I READ THE TEXT TOO.

OMG!

[MRT144]

Originally posted by Urban Ranger


I am quite sure Snopes has mistaken this time. AFAIK, the character for horses has a "m" sound. Two characters make up "tapole." While the first one does have a "k" sound, the second one has a "t" sound.

So no, it doesn't fit.

UR takes me back to my chinese class for a moment

[korn469]

Chicken-man Frank Perdue's slogan, "It takes a tough man to make a tender chicken," got awfully translated in Mexico. A photo of Perdue with one of his birds appeared on billboards all over Mexico with a caption that explained "It takes a hard man to make a chicken aroused."

Ming, that is so funny, i'm laughing so hard i'm about to cry

[Giant_Squid]

This one may also be an urban legend, but:

Coke hired an American company to do their marketing for them in the Middle East. The company didn't want to mess around with Arabic, so they decided to do a pictorial billboard with panels: first a guy in the scorching desert heat looking all thirsty, then the guy drinking a Coke, then him looking refreshed and happy.

The punch line, being of course that they didn't know that Arabs read from the right to the left...

[Zero]

happy guy drinks coke and he ecomes thirsty? oh man thats just too good.

[nationalist]

Originally posted by SnowFire
For those of you who can dare stand the horror... I present Johnny Turbo. Perhaps the most pathetic example of advertising I've seen.
http://sardius.fefea.org/reviews/jturbo/

I laughed until I cried!