bad product names: IKEA Fartfull

[Jessica Sant]

Its probably not as bad as the Chevy Nova (Nova is "doesn't go" in spanish)...

but here's the new IKEA Fartfull

tee hee

got any others to share?

[Eric Pascarello]

I was sent this site awhile back by a friend: http://www.jdbshow.com/bad_product_names.html

Eric

[Scott Selikoff]

Originally posted by Jessica Sant:
but here's the new IKEA Fartfull

No matter how many times I check the link it just keeps coming up from IKEA with the actual name of Fartfull... too unreal...

[Stan James]

Years ago Chevrolet couldn't figure out why the Nova, a practical little economy car, wasn't selling well in Mexico. Somebody who was translating the sales literature should have pointed out that the name means "no go" (or it doesn't go?) in Spanish.

[Paul Bourdeaux]

Hate to bring snopes into the fray... but the Nova Rumor is really just a rumor. Although "no va" does translate literally to "doesn't go" in spanish, when spoken or viewed as one word, it is pronounced very differently. Snopes makes a good point by comparing it to the English word "notable". Very few english speaking patrons would confuse this with the two word phrase "not able".

Besides, nova also means "new" in portaguese.

Back on topic... "Fartfull" is funny! Talk about bad marketing!
[ December 28, 2005: Message edited by: Paul Bourdeaux ]

[Jayesh Lalwani]

The Chevy Nova UL is false

[Jessica Sant]

fine... spoil all the fun why doncha.

bet there's no snopes entry on the "Fartfull" so blah

[Jim Yingst]

Whaddya mean? Busting up urban legends is fun.

[Alan Wanwierd]

Following on from the "Nova" theme theres also the rumor that Mitsubishis flagship 4wd vehicle "Pajero" (at least in Australian markets?) is Spanish for "Wanker" - but again I suspect thats just a myth!

More seriously theres a chain of sports footwaer shops that crakc me up every time I see the sign "Athletes Foot" .... Personally I think its deliberate on part of te marketing people to make the brand name memorable.. but I still smile when I think of people going to a shop to buy shoes with 'Athletes Foot' (I assume Athletes foot a global name for the condition also known as 'tinea pedis'?)

[Jim Yingst]

Yes, athlete's foot means the same thing in the US (which is where the footwear store originated). I'm sure the name of the store was a conscious reference to the skin condition, presumably as a joke. A bit of an odd choice, certainly, but it doesn't seem to have impeded their success too much.