How to Coach Yourself and Others How to Influence, Persuade and Motivate | Page 272

There are other words advertisers employ, which are known as "weasel
words." These words confuse their audience and don't allow you to put an
exact number on the advertiser's claim. They let you justify and believe
what you want. They are called "weasel words" because weasels are
notorious for breaking into the chicken coop and sucking out the inside of
the eggs without breaking the shell. The eggs look fine but in reality are
hollow and empty, just like these words. Watch out for these words:
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Helps
May
Possibly
Improved
Up to
Almost
About
Approximately

Probably the biggest challenge with word choice in marketing comes
when billion-dollar corporations want to translate just the right English
word into the perfect equivalent in another language. The most famous
marketing fiasco based on translation was the Chevy Nova. Translated
into Spanish, Nova meant "Doesn't Go."
"Come Alive, You're the Pepsi Generation" translated into Chinese
means, "Pepsi, Bring Your Ancestors Back from the Grave." When
American Airlines wanted to advertise its new, leather, first-class seats in
the Mexican market, it translated its "Fly In Leather" campaign literally,
which meant "Fly Naked" (vuela en cuero) in Spanish! Coors put its
slogan, "Turn It Loose," into Spanish, where it was read as "Suffer from
Diarrhea." The Dairy Association's huge success with the "Got Milk?"
campaign prompted them to expand advertising into Mexico. It was soon
brought to their attention that the Spanish translation read, "Are you
lactating?"
Frank Perdue's chicken slogan, "It takes a strong man to make a tender
chicken" was translated into Spanish as "It takes an aroused man to make
a chicken affectionate." The Coca-Cola name in China was first read as
"Kekoukela," meaning "bite the wax tadpole" or "female horse stuffed
with wax," depending on the dialect. Scandinavian vacuum manufacturer,
Electrolux, used the following in an American campaign: "Nothing sucks
like an Electrolux."
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