BITE THE WAX TADPOLE

Companies spend millions of dollars coming up with memorable campaigns to advertise their products. But crazy things can happen when those ads travel to foreign countries.

COCA-COLA

When Coca-Cola was first advertised in China, it was called Ke-kou-ke-la. Unfortunately, thousands of signs were printed before the Coca-Cola company discovered that the phrase meant “bite the wax tadpole” or “female horse stuffed with wax,” depending on the dialect. Coca-Cola quickly renamed their product Ko-kou-ko-le, which can be loosely translated as “happiness in the mouth.”

NIKE

Nike filmed a television commercial in Kenya using members of the Samburu tribe. As the commercial ends, the camera zooms in on a tribesman who says something in his native language. Subtitles appeared on the screen, apparently translating his words to mean the famous Nike slogan, “Just do it!”

But what the tribesman actually said was: “I don’t want these. Give me bigger shoes!”

Q: Why did the lion lose the race? A: Because his opponent was a cheetah.