Kangaroo495 Posted July 2, 2009 Share Posted July 2, 2009 Nigerian-Gazprom Venture, NiGaz, Stirs Racism Debate 02 July 2009 Reuters LAGOS, Nigeria -- Gazprom (largest gas company in the world) has inadvertently walked into an online racism debate with the announcement of its new joint venture in Nigeria -- NiGaz Energy. Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and his Nigerian counterpart, Umaru Musa Yar'Adua, last week agreed on the $2.5 billion venture to build refineries, pipelines and gas power stations in Africa's most populous nation. The name is meant to be an amalgamation of "Nigeria" and "Gazprom," pronounced "nye-gaz," but can be read phonetically as an offensive term for people of black African origin. "How more derogatory can it be? ... Let's join forces in making our government rename this JV," said the creator of "Nigerians No Nigaz," a group set up on the social networking web site Facebook. Other bloggers took a more mocking approach. One African-American blogger recommended a playlist of songs from U.S. hip-hop artists including 50 Cent and Tupac Shakur for the NiGaz launch party. But many comments about the branding blunder on the Twitter and other social networking sites were from white bloggers. "White people are making too much of this. As long as the Russians pay us, they can call it what they like," said one Nigerian in the commercial hub, Lagos, asking not to be named. Potential company slogans - any suggestions? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anacostiakat Posted July 2, 2009 Share Posted July 2, 2009 Must have been some interesting marketing research. Gazgeria? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sounddust Posted July 2, 2009 Share Posted July 2, 2009 ForeJuaNyne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
android Posted July 2, 2009 Share Posted July 2, 2009 Must have been the same Agency working the BK account! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cigarros Posted July 2, 2009 Share Posted July 2, 2009 It not the first similar misunderstanding in the history of slogans. For example recent shouts: - American Airlines has established leather armchairs in the planes and has decided to inform about the mexican consumers. In English the slogan sounded perfectly: "Fly in Leather!" In a literal translation this expression has found other sense: "Fly Naked!". - Swedish producer of home appliances Electrolux has presented the vacuum cleaners on the American market & using slogan "Nothing Sucks Like an Electrolux!" - Pepsi has literally translated into the Chinese language the main advertising motto "Come Alive With the Pepsi Generation!" Chineses have been shocked: the slogan has got unexpected sounding like "Pepsi will force your ancestors to rise from their tombs". LOL))) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El Presidente Posted July 2, 2009 Share Posted July 2, 2009 Mitsubishi had the very successful 4X4 SUV "Pajero" which is still being sold today. Unfortunatley it initially didn't sell well in Spanish countries. Few people rushed out to purchase a Mitsubishi "Cock Sucker" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El Presidente Posted July 2, 2009 Share Posted July 2, 2009 Great mate of mond launched a new Electronics brand for Africa and Eastern Europe (Zaiko from memory). Worked well in Africa. Unfortunaltely in one of the key Eastern European countries it mean't "Crap" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cigarros Posted July 2, 2009 Share Posted July 2, 2009 Perfumery company Clairol has presented the dry deodorants in Germany by using slogan "Mist Stick". In Germany it was found out that word Mist in German's slang means "manure". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mkz Posted July 2, 2009 Share Posted July 2, 2009 A big selling mineralwater here in sweden is called Loka (after the small town were it is tapped). That name didnt work well in our neigbour country Finland were Loka means dirt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chaki Posted July 3, 2009 Share Posted July 3, 2009 And Toyota named a car "MR2"...that in French sounds like "merde" which means "crap" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shrink Posted July 3, 2009 Share Posted July 3, 2009 Or the case of the Chevy Nova, to which Spanish-speaking car customers responded with laughter. No-va in Spanish translates as "No-go". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest rob Posted July 3, 2009 Share Posted July 3, 2009 Bolle in Danish means F@#k. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sounddust Posted July 3, 2009 Share Posted July 3, 2009 How about the Daihatsu Charade? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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