The Legend
When Pepsi cola tried to expand their market into China, they had a terrible time. The product was good enough, but they just couldn't get their advertising slogans to work in the Chinese market. Something seemed to get lost in translation.
In the 1950s, Pepsi's slogan was "Be sociable." This was translated as, "Be intimate." Not exactly a great message considering China's political position in the '50s. Sales actually went down instead of up.
In the '60s, Pepsi's slogan was, "Now it's Pepsi for those who think young." That was translated as, "New Pepsi is for people with the minds of children." Sales fell even further.
Not knowing what else to do, Pepsi hurriedly changed its marketing once again, but the new "Come alive with Pepsi!" slogan became "Pepsi brings your ancestors back from the dead." Noting the problem, Pepsi switched to "Come alive! You're in the Pepsi generation," but this was translated as "Resurrect! Your body will be made of Pepsi!"
At that point the company just plain gave up. They never did overcome the translation problem.
To this day, cola drink sales in China are dominated by a local brand, Bite the Wax Tadpole.
Behind the Legend
Pepsi isn't the only company that has had trouble marketing its wares in China. Consider these examples:
*I couldn't get the formatting right for this table, so just read it like this:
After the brand, the first slogan is the original, the second is the chinese translation.
Company/Product
Slogan
Chinese Translation
7up
The uncola
It's not soda
A&W Rootbeer
That frosty mug sensation
Feel like your face is frozen
Alka-Seltzer
I can't believe I ate the whole thing!
I don't know who ate my food!
American Express
Don't leave home without it
Stay home with it
AT&T
Reach out and touch someone
Violate a stranger
Apple computers
Think different
Go insane
Avis
We try harder
We try to be hard
Budweiser
For all you do, this Bud's for you
All you get for your work is a beer
Budweiser
When you say Budweiser, you've said it all
After Budweiser, you will not be able to speak
Burger King
Have it your way
Reject the socialist ideal
Calgon
Calgon, take me away
Use Calgon, be taken to prison
Camel
I'd walk a mile for a Camel
A camel asked me to walk two kilometers
Campbell's soup
Soup is good food
Soup is morally superior to your food
Campbell's soup
M'm M'm Good
Mumble soup
Carls Jr.
If it doesn't get all over the place, it doesn't belong in your face
Why keep your tongue in your mouth?
Coca-Cola
The pause that refreshes
Stop and rejuvenate
Coca-Cola
It's the real thing
Pepsi is fake
Coca-Cola
Have a Coke and a smile
Drink Coke and eat lips
Coca-Cola
Coke is it
Coke is all you get
Coca-Cola
Things go better with Coke
The best Coke contains unspecified things
Coco Pops
Cuckoo for Coco Pops
If you eat Coco Pops, you are insane
Dr Pepper
Be a Pepper!
Live like soda!
E. F. Hutton
When E. F. Hutton talks, people listen
When E. F. Hutton talks, you are spied upon
Energizer
It keeps going, and going, and going
This commercial will never end
FedEx
When it absolutely has to get there overnight
For when it can wait until tomorrow
Florida orange juice
A day without orange juice is like a day without sunshine
Drink orange juice or go blind
Ford
Quality is job one
We were concerned about quality in a previous job
Fox news
Fair and balanced
Acceptable and not about to tip over
General Electric
We bring good things to life
We bring your ancestors back from the dead, too
Goodyear
The best tires in the world have Goodyear written all over them
Someone has been writing on your car
Intel
Intel inside
You have eaten Intel
Kentucky Fried Chicken
Finger-lickin' good
Tastes like human fingers
Lay's potato chips
Betcha can't eat just one
You can not even eat one
M&Ms
The milk chocolate melts in your mouth, not in your hand
This chocolate goes to pieces in your head
Marlboro
Come to Marlboro Country
Leave China
Maxwell House coffee
Good to the last drop
Enjoyable until you fall over
Maytag
Our repairmen are the loneliest guys in town
Nobody likes our repair workers
McDonalds
You deserve a break today
You deserve to be beaten
McDonalds
Two all-beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions, on a sesame seed bun
Two complete cow patties, common sauce, cabbage, fermented milk, cucumber, roots, on a steamed bun.
McDonalds
Billions and billions served
Tastes so good cats ask for it by name
Meow Mix cat food
Tastes so good cats ask for it by name
Billions and billions served
Memorex
Is it live, or is it Memorex?
If it's not alive, it is Memorex
Milk
Got milk?
Have you stolen a cow?
Nike
Just do it!
Have sex!
Paul Masson wines
We will sell no wine before its time
We do not sell wine before the store opens
Philip Morris
Call for Philip Morris!
Shout for cigarettes!
Raid
Kills bugs dead
Eliminates government listening devices
Rice Krispies
Snap, crackle, and pop
Break, crush, and explode
Rolaids
How do you spell relief? R-O-L-A-I-D-S
How does an American calligraphist draw relief? R-O-L-A-I-D-S
Sara Lee
Nobody doesn't like Sara Lee
Sara Lee is a woman of easy virtue
Sprite
Obey Your Thirst
You are commanded to drink
Taco Bell
Head for the border
Defect!
Timex
It takes a licking and keeps on ticking
Lick it like it is a bomb
Toni
Which twin has the Toni?
Who stole the Toni?
United Negro College Fund
A mind is a terrible thing to waste
We waste our advertising money looking for negros in China
Virginia Slims
You've come a long way, baby
Your baby has wandered away
Visa
It's everywhere you want to be
It's only in places you can't go
Volvo
Fahrvergnügen
????
Wheaties
Breakfast of champions
Breakfast of Mao
Bike wrote:I like to make werewolf movies.
