suppose McDonalds meant something in German

charles galofre

New Member
Jurisdiction
Florida
suppose McDonalds meant something in German.
something awful for that matter.
like murder or something of that nature.
what attorney would I need for this case?
I have a case where a company name (national company) means something awful in my spanish language.
 
What kind of legal action are you anticipating. Just because someone calls their business "We Molest Small Children" doesn't give you a cause of action.

Having product or company names having bad connotations in other languages isn't uncommon and with global markets, it's often necessary to do some research as to how your names may be misconstrued in other markets.
 
What kind of legal action are you anticipating. Just because someone calls their business "We Molest Small Children" doesn't give you a cause of action.

Having product or company names having bad connotations in other languages isn't uncommon and with global markets, it's often necessary to do some research as to how your names may be misconstrued in other markets.
thank you this is true. my question is, with connotations, what type of attorney do you need to sue for a connotation.
 
what attorney would I need for this case?

One with a screw loose (esta loco en la cabeza) because your idea for a lawsuit isn't going anywhere.

I have a case where a company name (national company) means something awful in my spanish language.

For our amusement please provide the company name and the translation.

I found two.

Tonto Brands, LLC in Pine, Arizona. Tonto is Spanish for idiot.

Nokia's smartphone Lumia. Lumia is Spanish for prostitute.
 
thank you this is true. my question is, with connotations, what type of attorney do you need to sue for a connotation.
There's no legal basis for suing someone over "connotations." There's no lawyer that will take a case. You have to have some specific personal injury.

If I created a website called "Charles Galofore eats little children" you might have a case. If I create s a site called "We like eating children" you've got no case even if the material is personally repugnant to you.
 
what attorney would I need for this case?
I have a case where a company name (national company) means something awful in my spanish language.

You don't need an attorney because you can't win suing over a name that offends you. You don't have a right not to be offended, while the company does have a free speech right to use whatever name it likes, with the caveat that it might not get trademark protection for some names. The fact that an unoffensive name in English translates to something offensive in some other language in particular won't give those that speak that other language a good legal claim.

What you might do, however, is write the company president/CEO to inform him/her what the name means in Spanish and point out that such an offensive name in Spanish may be costing them a lot of Latino customers. If that company cares about that market it may choose to rebrand itself to try to win Latino customers.
 
very interesting these arguements. I came to realize I might have a case for personal injury.

You don't have a personal injury claim based on a company name. From your posts on this forum I'm going to guess that you seem to regard lawsuits as something of a lottery, i.e. just hit the right claim and win millions without suffering any real injury. That's not how lawsuits work. First, you need to have a claim the law recognizes. There is no claim for being offended by a company name. Second, even if there were such a claim, you could only win compensation for actual damages (e.g. financial harm) suffered. Simply being offended is not a harm for which the law will compensate you.
 
what attorney would I need for this case?

Why would you think you would need an attorney under the hypothetical circumstances you described?

I have a case where a company name (national company) means something awful in my spanish language.

What do you mean when you say you "have a case"? How have you been harmed as a result of some company's name meaning something that you subjectively think is "awful" in Spanish?

I came to realize I might have a case for personal injury.

How exactly did you come about this realization? What "injury" do you think you have suffered?
 
Does anyone recall the story about Chevrolet and their Chevy Nova allegedly shunned in Spanish speaking markets?

Well, that has been debunked, along with the "Got Milk" campaign, and the alleged troubles Parker Pen was said to have.

Myths, dear readers, myths; as in "urban legends".


Did Chevrolet Blunder in Marketing the Nova in Latin America?

Lost in Translation: Nokia Lumia, and The 5 Worst Name Oversights

https://www.hemmings.com/stories/20...-sell-poorly-in-latin-america-due-to-its-name

International Business: Chevy Nova tale, other global marketing myths debunked
 
There's always Pee Cola from Ghana and Fart Bar (a candy bar) from Poland.

Or...best of all: Megapussi (potato chips), which you can buy from Finnish grocer KKK Supermarkets.
 
Back
Top