It’s not just English brands that often leave slogans in the original language for international audiences.
Car maker Volkswagen is using its “Das Auto” line worldwide. It highlights the fact that the cars come from Germany – a country known for high-quality engineering.
But in Brazil the strategy has backfired.
The VW Beetle was made there for decades, and the brand was seen as an “honorary Brazilian”. This was reflected in its previous slogan, “você conhece, você confia” (“you know, you trust”). By emphasizing its foreign-ness, VW threw away an emotional bond built up over many years.
By contrast, the German line was well received in Russia. Market research is crucial!
Car maker Volkswagen is using its “Das Auto” line worldwide
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