Taking your business abroad? Take the safe route!

Does anyone remember those infamous Budweiser TV commercials, where some guys –that eventually came to be pretty famous – simply called each other on the phone yelled “wassuuuuuuuuuuuup!” with their tongues out?

"Hey, wassup!" "Just watching the game, having a Bud." "True, true."

Something as simple as that went VIRAL.

However, it may come as a surprise to many that the American beer is not the only “Budweiser” around. There is, indeed, a Czech company called Budvar, which also manufactures a beer with the same name and has been doing so for nearly a century now. That is, in fact, the reason why the American “Budweiser” is known in Europe simply as “Bud”.

A conflict has been brewing –if you pardon the pun- between this company and the US beer producer Anheurser-Busch ever since the latter decided to expand its product into Europe, back in the 90s. Turns out, Budweiser is an actual German word. An adjective, to be precise, that was used in the 19th century. It meant “from Budweis”, the German word that used to designate the Czech town of Budejovice. There is a nice piece of trivia to take to the bank.

Fact is, the Czech brewery Budvar does make its beer in Budejovice, aka Budweis, whereas the US company bases its arguments on the fact that the founders of Anheurser-Busch were German immigrants that brought the ‘budweiser’ brewery techniques to the US.

Regardless who you’d think is right or wrong, this is an interesting example of a conflict that can happen when you decide to expand your business and take it abroad. Before exporting the things that you consider most important, like your trademark, your logo, your slogan, etc… It’s highly recommended to take some time for extensive research in other markets in order to avoid this kind of unwanted surprises.

And when it comes to translation, it is imperative that you wisely choose the best agency out there to make sure that they do their job properly. Not literally – properly. With a healthy dose of good judgment, a pinch of imagination and, most of all, a big spoonful of communication skills, to keep you up to date and explain why something is good the way it is, or why something else should be change by any means.

Thorough market research AND reliable translation services. Gee, where could you get both things at the same time, with high quality translation work and affordable prices? :)

The money you invest in good quality translations today is the money you save on unnecessary complications tomorrow. Just look at poor Budweiser in the example above. Correction: look at poor Bud. Be “Weiser” than that - choose the best. inWhatLanguage will welcome you – with a nice pitcher of beer, if the occasion calls for it. Contact our international translation firm for a free marketing translation and business translation quote.