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October 24, 2003

Product Naming

According to Paul Jané, GM is going to rename a car because of what the name means in Quebeckistani French. I assume that means there is a significant number of "teenagers in French-speaking Quebec" who would buy this car with a different name :-)

After all, AFAIK, the French company that markets Pshitt (French equivalent of Schweppes) changed the name of their product, NOT!

[Ed: You can find more strange product names here.]

Posted by Ozguru at October 24, 2003 08:10 AM

Comments

Oh yeah, all the sixteen year olds will rush out and buy Buicks any minute now... Heh. Thanks for the link. :-)

Posted by: Paul Jané at October 24, 2003 08:10 AM

I can imagine buying a bottle of Pshitt just so you could bring it back and tell all your friends that you know why the French are so full of it.... but a car? Even if you change the name, the story will hang around. Dunno how true it is but there used to be a Mitsubishi sports care sold in Australia called the Starion. The story was that the car was named by a Japanese official of the company who wanted it to be called Starion (say with Japanese accent) because it was a grown-up version of their small car which was the 'Colt'. Had a friend with one of these cars - he claimed it was the worst thing he ever bought. If you asked why, he'd say "Because it is the greatest chick-magnet around." So you look puzzled. Then he'd say "but it's got no staying power and it breaks down all the time". His plan was to park in front of a pub and lean on the car. When he picked up a chick they'd go for drinks and dinner and then he would suggest going off in her car together because .... (insert excuse here).

Posted by: ozguru at October 24, 2003 08:10 AM

And dont forget the Mitsubishi Pajero... (Whats that in spanish? the same as the LaCrosse in French...)

Posted by: Peskie at October 24, 2003 08:10 AM