What's in a name?

Rather a lot as it so happens. After Renault's successful court case against French families of 'Zoe Renault' over the naming of its new supermini the Zoe, which brands haven't been quite as successful in naming their products and who didn't do their homework?


Mitsubishi Pajero
In a land long before Google Translate, also known as "the 1980s", this Japanese car manufacturer chose to name its new 4x4 the Pajero. Any Spanish speakers amongst you will know this directly translates as 'wanker'. Although, given the type of folk who drive these dated colossal SUVs, Pajero might not be such a bad choice afterall. European versions were later named Shogun.

Latte
Surely there can't be any problems naming a product after the Italian for milk. Latte should evoke visions of enjoying a creamy, delicious coffee in a sundrenched piazza in Milan or Rome. Not if you're German, where latte is a slang term for an erect male member. I wouldn't recommend ordering a Grande Latte in a Berlin branch of Starbucks any time soon.

Dell Streak
When I first heard about the Dell Streak, I genuinely thought this was an April Fools Joke. Are the Dell marketing people actually taking the mickey? A computer firm not famed for its particularly sexy or reliable or efficient computers taking on the might of Apple's iPad tablet as well as BlackBerry smartphones with a product named after soiled underpants? Fraid so.

When it comes to global brand names, it really pays to know every market inside out.