Do people know how to pronounce your name? Some people are not so lucky. And some brands have it really bad.
Names That Get Butchered
Per the request of a LinkedIn friend, here’s our completely random list of brand names that get butchered to hell and back. Good times!!!
This video originally appeared in LinkedIn
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TRANSCRIPT:
Okay guys, this video is by special request from someone named Nanci Kaesemeyer. I think that’s how it’s pronounced which is very ironic because she said, “Can you do a video about brand names that are often mispronounced?”, and I don’t know how to pronounce her name. Anyway, I will hit my list, my completely unscientific list, of just names that I think it’s interesting that nobody knows how to say them.
But before I do, I want to talk about this because sometimes the reason that the pronunciation is difficult is because it’s coming from a foreign language, right? So, you know, there’s a reason for it. Sometimes that is part of the brand’s schtick, because it adds cachet or something or it gives it a sense of foreignness, and I think that’s interesting. And sometimes I think it’s just kind of unfortunate.
So we’ll go through my list: I need notes for this one. In no particular order, the first one is a sneaker brand called Saucony, or is it “sauck-iny”? I think it’s “sock-iny”, but I don’t really know. So that’s a mispronounced brand. Next one, I did a whole video on this one, “sore la tab-lah”. Well, if you’re full out speaking French it’s Sur La Table, but how pretentious is it to say that in the middle of an English sentence? Which is a whole other thing about mispronounced names.
Again, the next one, which I’ve also covered in previous communications, is Glossier, which some of us, like fools, think it’s “gloss-ier”, right? So in that case, it’s definitely kind of part of their feeling of inside knowledge. Another one is- there’s this Greek yogurt brand, F-A-G-E. How do you pronounce that? “Fag-uh”? “Fay-guh?” No, it’s “fa-yay”. That’s rough. And this- the one after this is also a Greek yogurt brand, and it’s O-I-K-O-S. “Ooh-kos”? “Oye-kos?” I’m not really sure. So, anyway, I think in both cases, it’s Greek yogurt that you’re buying much more than the brand name. People aren’t really that focused on the brand names in that category. I think? Maybe? I don’t know, Chobani? I don’t know. It’s a category full of difficult names.
All right, next. Facial cleanser, facial care brand, “set-afil”? Cetaphil? That one’s a problem. Okay, and then my husband’s favorite sauce, “s-riracha”? Actually, it’s pronounced “si-racha”. That’s another one that’s from a foreign language, but that’s not really a brand name, is it? I don’t know. Okay, next, Ikea. Apparently, it’s “ick-iya”, but in the United States we all say it wrong. Oh well! Okay, next on my list, L’occitane? “Locks-itan”? “Los-itan”? Like, “locks-itane”? People don’t know, and I speak French and I’m not sure I know. So, okay. A lot of the designers in foreign languages, like, Hermès, “her-mees”? “Hurms”?
I’ve heard that one really, really butchered. Um, chocolate brand Ferrero Rocher, which some people say “farare-y row-chy”? It’s pretty bad. And, um… Oh, the last one! I don’t even know if I want to do it. It’s Hervé Léger, which some people pronounce “Harvey Lager”? That hurts me. Okay, anyway! So, a couple of unscientific, just for giggles and giggles? I didn’t curse that time. Just some fun with some mangled and mispronounced brand names. Share any good ones that you have that should’ve been on my list. Thanks Nanci! Sorry if I mangled your name. Bye!
