Re: [CR]worst names? never mind just bikes ...

(Example: Production Builders:Peugeot:PX-10LE)

Date: Sat, 14 Feb 2004 10:16:11 -0700
Subject: Re: [CR]worst names? never mind just bikes ...
From: "Steven L. Sheffield" <stevens@veloworks.com>
To: jerrymoos <jerrymoos@sbcglobal.net>, Classic Rendezvous <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
In-Reply-To: <023001c3f31d$881f0000$efddfea9@mooshome>


It didn't flop.

Chevrolet Nova's name didn't significantly affect its sales: it sold well in both its primary Spanish-language markets, Mexico and Venezuela. (Its Venezuelan sales figures actually surpassed GM's expectations.) The whole "Nova = "doesn't go" tale was merely another in a long line of automotive jokes, like the ones about "Ford" being an acronym for "Fix or repair daily" or "Found on road dead" or "Fiat" being an acronym for "Fix it again, Tony!"

On 02/14/2004 10:11 AM, "jerrymoos" <jerrymoos@sbcglobal.net> wrote:
> Maybe Nova just flopped in Mexico because it was a lousy car. Perhaps the
> Mexican buyers in that price range are more discriminating than Americans.
>
> Jerry "last General Motors car I owned was a 1965 Chevy SS" Moos
> Houston, TX
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Steven L. Sheffield" <stevens@veloworks.com>
> To: "Classic Rendezvous" <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
> Sent: Saturday, February 14, 2004 10:46 AM
> Subject: Re: [CR]worst names? never mind just bikes ...
>
>
>>
>>
>>
>> On 02/13/2004 10:03 PM, "MohanG@aol.com" <MohanG@aol.com> wrote:
>>
>>> How about CIOCC, or CHOKE?
>>>
>>> Still, Gippieme can never approach the absurdity of the Chevrolet Nova,
>>> which, when translated to Spanish means: DOESN'T GO. Congratulations to
> GM for
>>> truth in advertizing.
>>
>>
>> Don't tell that to Pemex (the Mexican oil monopoly), whose bestselling
>> gasoline is called .... "Nova".
>>
>> This is an urban myth:
>>
>> http://www.snopes.com/business/misxlate/nova.asp
>>
>> Nova connotes "new" and "star" in Spanish speaking countries, just as it
>> does in the United States.
>>
>>
>>> Coors once translated its slogan, "turn it loose" to: "Suffer from
> Diarrhea."
>>>
>>> Puffs tissues had the unfortunate German slang name for whorehouse.
>>>
>>> Wonder what the jihadis have against us? Jolly Green Giant was
> translated
>>> into Arabic as "Intimidating Green Ogre."
>>>
>>> Coca Cola flopped in China with its translated name came out as
> something
>>> like "Bite the Wax Tadpole." (I've also heard Coke Adds Life was
> translated a
>>> bot
>>> too literally as "Coke brings your ancestors back from the dead." )
>>
>>
>> Urban myth: http://www.snopes.com/cokelore/tadpole.asp
>> Urban myth: http://www.snopes.com/business/misxlate/ancestor.asp
>>
>>
>>> When Frank Perdue tried to explain to Spanish speakers that "It takes a
> tough
>>> man to make a tender chicken," he told them: "It takes a sexually
> stimulated
>>> man to make a chicken affectionate." True, but not the right message, at
> least
>>> not for this particular product.
>>>
>>> Bacardi once introduced a product called Pavian in France. Just across
> the
>>> border, in Germany, folks looked on in puzzlement at why a beverage
> would be
>>> called "babboon."
>>>
>>> Lastly, Gerber always wondered why it was so hard to sell its baby food,
> with
>>> the cute picture of the baby face on the label. Turns out in Africa,
> most
>>> labels have pictures of the INGREDIENTS of the jar. No jokes on
> cannibalism,
>>> please ....
>>
>> Yet again: http://www.snopes.com/business/market/babyfood.asp
>>
>> While I can't speak for all of the above examples, there are enough
> definite
>> urban legends to cast doubt on most of them ...
>>
>> Steven L. Sheffield
>> Bursting bubbles in Midvale, Utah
>>
>> --
>> Steven L. Sheffield
>> stevens at veloworks dot com
>> veloworks at worldnet dot ay tea tee dot net
>> bellum pax est libertas servitus est ignoratio vis est
>> ess ay ell tea ell ay kay ee sea aye tee why you ti ay aitch
>> aitch tee tea pea colon [for word] slash [four ward] slash double-you
>> double-yew double-ewe dot veloworks dot com [four word] slash
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>>
>
>

--
Steven L. Sheffield
stevens at veloworks dot com
veloworks at worldnet dot ay tea tee dot net
bellum pax est libertas servitus est ignoratio vis est
ess ay ell tea ell ay kay ee sea aye tee why you ti ay aitch
aitch tee tea pea colon [for word] slash [four ward] slash double-you
double-yew double-ewe dot veloworks dot com [four word] slash