Comments on: Spotted Dick – When Product Naming Goes Bad 3

By: bbunney

bbunney — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 02:49:58 +0000

I thought it was a joke at first…… a very funny joke. I wouldn’t buy it, but it would attract a lot of attention and many giggles.

There are several restaurants that I would be reluctant to eat in just because of the name……. “The Elephant Bar”, “The Blue Cow”…… I hear the Elephant Bar is a great upscale place to eat that “does not serve elephant”, but I really need many referrals before eating there. Also, I want to check out the menu for myself!!

Brenda Bunney

By: BIG Kahuna

BIG Kahuna — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 16:56:00 +0000

Yes Christopher, if they renamed it now it would cause many problems -I agree. I found it a strange name to begin with. If I were selling a new pudding “spotted dick” would be the last thing I would want to name it. That’s my point and why I think the name is bad. Even in England it must raise a few eyebrows but it’s been around forever.

I’m pretty sure Spotted Dick would be a hard sell in the US (see YouTube vid above) as the typical American would think it was a joke. Once again, just my opinion and I certainly value yours.

Haggis is another name that I would avoid at all costs as well because it could associate with the word hag. My personal opinion is you have to think long and hard about a name before taking it to market. Escpecially if that product is going to be sold abroad.

Thanks for you input, come back again! I value everyone’s opinion even if you all are wrong and I’m always right

By: Christopher

Christopher — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 15:58:24 +0000

Of course the problem is that if you named it anything else you’d be losing the very people you’re trying to reach. Spotted dick is a type of pudding and I imagine those who like it would be quite happy to see that Heinz is offering it in a quick, convenient package. But if Heinz called it something else (“British pudding”?) people looking for spotted dick would have no idea what it was. (Actually, neither would anyone else.) It would be like selling haggis in a can but calling it “Oatmeal pudding” because “haggis” might remind some Americans of hags.

And I’m confused: what’s so funny about sitting in the hot sun eating hot cross buns? Is it more ridiculous than eating hot toast? Honestly, I don’t catch the humour here.

By: Scott White

Scott White — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 10:37:17 +0000

Hey Alex, I’m pretty sure we speak English here as well (didn’t you wankers teach us) so “Lay’s” is another silly name. I never even thought of that one. And I think that is one of the top potato chip brands in the US.

Snickers on the other hand does not “mean” something bad. Yes it rhymes with knickers but it’s not the same. If we started rhyming names we’d be in big trouble.

Thanks for the post and to the link about Lay’s (great article). Come back and talk again!

p.s. My wife’s mom and relatives are from England. They just came to visit us in St. Thomas three weeks ago. Nothing makes me smile more than to see a bunch of English people sitting out in the hot, hot sun eating hot cross buns for breakfast.

By: Buzz

Buzz — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 08:14:40 +0000

Yes, even in the UK this sometimes causes amusement. But we have similar problems with US brand names. “Lays” would have us in laughter (see link below) and when “Snickers” replaced our “Marathon” a whole generation of children giggled at the idea of eating a chocolate bar that sounds like underwear (UK… knickers)

Vive la difference!

More http://alex.woodruff.de/chipping-away-at-the-design/

By: The Dangers of Translating Brand Names

The Dangers of Translating Brand Names — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 02:19:11 +0000

[...] Spotted Dick Sponge Pudding [...]

By: Scott White

Scott White — Sat, 05 Apr 2008 01:59:59 +0000

Yes, except Wonder Bread doesn’t mean sleezy woman. Do you think Bimbo is an appropriate name for a cookie sold in the US?

By: Molly

Molly — Sat, 05 Apr 2008 01:55:18 +0000

Bimbo is a huge brand name in Latin America. As big as, say, Wonder Bread.