1 The name Coca-Cola translated into Chinese as either "Bite the wax tadpole" or "Female horse stuffed with wax" depending on the dialect.
People would think, Coca-Cola, the most random advertising in the world.
Perhaps a cola flavored, tadpole shaped Wacky Lips type candy?
Thank my lucky stars that I no longer drink Coca-Cola
2 Pepsi's slogan "Come Alive With the Pepsi Generation" translated into Chinese as "Pepsi brings your ancestors back from the grave".
Does that mean Pepsi is made of ectoplasm?
*pours Pepsi on ancestors, doesn't work*
3 A baby food company started selling products in Africa. The standard packaging has a baby on the tin. This was before they realized that in most African countries, manufacturers generally put pictures of the actual product on the packaging.
So, people think having their babies eat baby meat would be worthwhile, then? If you want your child to resort to cannibalism, look no further.L.O.L.
4 Japan's second-largest tourist agency was mystified when it entered English- speaking markets and began receiving requests for unusual sex tours. Upon finding out why, the owners of Kinki Nippon Tourist Company changed its name.
Well, this is awkward. If you have a company name like that, not only would it hurt the business sales, it would embarrass both the staff and the customers! And imagine the comparison sites; the cheapest place is at your local Kinki Nippon branch!
5 When Parker Pen marketed a ballpoint pen in Mexico, its ads were supposed to say "It won't leak in your pocket and embarrass you." Instead the ads said that "It won't leak in your pocket and make you pregnant."
6 Ford launched the Pinto before discovering that Pinto was Brazilian slang for "tiny male genitals".
So, at a local motor show, you'd have someone saying "And here we unveil Ford's "Pinto"".L.O.L.
That means "small penis".
7 A Swedish stomach remedy company ran a three-picture ad that depicted a man throwing up, then a man taking the remedy, then him smiling. The only problem was that this was put into an Arabic newspaper, where people read from right to left.
And that one mentioned on T.V. Tropes. Dirty clothes, detergent, clean clothes.
I saw that newspaper... And I never want to see that again.
8 The Japanese Refrigerator Fukushima Named Its Company Mascot After The First Four Letters Of The Company Name And The Last Three Letters Of "Happy". The Homepage Depicts The Mascot Saying "I'm Fukuppy!"
9 Coors released the slogan "turn it loose", which translated into Spanish as "suffer from diarrhea".
10 Apple launched Siri, not knowing shiri means butt in Japanese
The Contenders
11 Ford released the Fierra before realising that in Latin American countries, "Fierra" meant "Ugly Old Woman"
12 Nike filmed an ad for hiking shoes, in which a man was caught mouthing "I don't want these. Give me big shoes."
13 Two companies once had a joint company in France called GPT, which, when pronounced in French, sounds like "J'ai pété", meaning "I have farted".
LAUGH OUT LOUD.. This my favourite; simple but oh so funny! I can't read the word 'fart' 'farting' or 'farted' without laughing!
14 Tesco, a supermarket company in the UK promoted Pringles for Ramadan