While transforming an entire product line to reach an audience speaking/reading a different language is exceedingly expensive (i.e. new packaging, new labeling, new user manuals, new marketing, shipping, sales and customer service), the rewards for a successful transition are often great for business. As things get more and more expensive, the people in charge, in an effort to minimize initial overhead, often look for corners to cut or the least expensive option to solve problems with shipment.

Design layouts may be simplified, advertising initially may be at a minimum, and maybe one or two customer service employees are made available to speak the region’s language.

The one thing that should not be treated with such a lackadaisical attitude is the translating of the product.

This multi-part series reflects over past blunders companies (usually corporations) have made in their international moves due to mistranslations or unrecognized localization problems their product had.

¿Tiene Leche?

The United State’s “Got Milk?” campaign, when transported to the Mexican Audience used either a machine translation or one done by someone with basic knowledge of Spanish(Mexico). “Tiene Leche” translates literally to “Do you have Milk?” Unfortunately there is also a fairly serious double entendre that is much less prevalent in the American reading of the slogan. The Mexican community found it to be an offensive campaign and since the “Got Milk?” campaign has been localized to read “

Toma Leche

Certainly more direct, this translates to “Drink Milk,” which is a step in a different marketing direction, but regardless a significantly less offensive means of communicating with the Spanish speaking populace of Mexico.