5 Translation Fails That Cost Millions

When Translation Mistakes Become Serious

Translation fail posts are very common on social media and make us all laugh.

The funny part of these memes is that they often don't have harsh consequences. It's just a good laugh to start the day.

They instantly become less amusing when the consequences become seriously damaging for businesses—or worse, for people's lives.

The Real Cost of Poor Translation

The quality of a translated text can change dramatically because of a few critical translation mistakes.

These errors can expose you to disputes, financial liability, or even lawsuits.

When you communicate with translated marketing content, produce translated documents for courts, or translate medical reports for treating patients, you can be held responsible for the translated content.

Needless to say, bad translations may lead to huge compensations.

What This Article Covers

This article focuses on translation errors in marketing and advertising—specifically, 5 famous translation mistakes that cost millions.

We'll give examples and show you how to avoid these costly errors.

5 Famous Translation Mistakes That Cost Millions

1. Sharp Corp.: Earnings Report Translation Disaster

In late 2012, Sharp Corp. delivered its earnings report. The outlook was disheartening, as the organization had been falling behind electronic competitors.

Sharp was losing market share consistently.

When Sharp requested translation from Japanese to English of their financial report, a critical error occurred.

The translation stated the company's acknowledgment of its struggles as "material doubt" that the organization could remain an "ongoing concern."

The Language Difference That Mattered

The language in the English translation sounded far more grounded and gloomier than the original Japanese statement.

According to the translation, the organization had essentially anticipated its own end.

Investors were terrified by this mischaracterization.

Sharp's stock plunged dramatically. The company experienced a complete yearly decline of 75%.

This single translation error had enormous financial consequences.

2. HSBC: The "Assume Nothing" Campaign Gone Wrong

As a major part of their multilingual advertising strategy, HSBC attempted to expand its "Assume Nothing" motto to other languages.

HSBC highly valued security and transparency with their clients. Speaking the language of customers seemed like a great idea.

The Localization Failure

However, HSBC failed to ensure the message in target languages would retain its meaning and resonate with local speakers.

Rather than "Assume Nothing," many translations meant "Do nothing" in the localized marketing content.

This translation error implied that financial managers were doing nothing for customers. This was devastating for brand image.

The Costly Correction

Having spent 10 million dollars on the worldwide marketing campaign, HSBC had to correct this now-famous marketing translation fail.

They changed the slogan to "The World's Local Bank."

The cost to fix the mistake far exceeded the value of catching it beforehand.

3. Occidental Petroleum vs. Ecuador: A Billion-Dollar Translation Error

In 2012, the case between Occidental Petroleum Corporation (Oxy) and Ecuador went to court.

The court ruled that the Republic of Ecuador had breached the Bilateral Investment Treaty.

The court awarded damages of 1.76 billion dollars.

The Translation's Role

Ecuadorian representative Professor Brigitte Stern suggested that a translation error contributed to this massive award.

She stated: "Had the translations been correct and the original Spanish texts been really taken into account, the conclusions arrived at by the majority would have been impossible to sustain."

The Impact

A poor translation of documents submitted by Ecuadorian lawyers contributed to a 40% increase in the damages awarded.

Ultimately, this portion of the award was annulled by a committee of native Spanish speakers.

This case demonstrates how translation errors can have billion-dollar consequences in legal disputes.

4. Willie Ramirez: A Medical Translation Tragedy

One of the most expensive medical translation mistakes ever made involved Willie Ramirez.

It is also one of the best-known medical translation errors because of its dramatic and tragic outcome.

The Misunderstanding

Willie was taken to the hospital by his Cuban parents with food poisoning.

They explained in Spanish that he was "intoxicado" to the doctors.

The hospital staff understood it as "intoxicated" and treated him for drug overdose.

The Critical Difference

"Intoxicado" is not the same as "intoxicated."

In Spanish, "intoxicado" means poisoned. "Intoxicated" in English means drunk or under the influence.

This single word mistranslation had life-altering consequences.

The Outcome

A brain hemorrhage caused by the wrong treatment left Willie a quadriplegic for life.

The hospital, which was obliged to provide a professional interpreter, found itself liable.

They had to pay approximately 71 million dollars for Willie's treatment and damages.

This case exemplifies why professional medical translation is non-negotiable.

5. Mead Johnson: Infant Formula Recall Due to Translation Error

Mead Johnson Nutritionals manufactures infant formula.

The company recalled 4.6 million cans of baby formula due to poor English to Spanish translation of instruction labels.

The Danger

According to the United States Food & Drug Administration, if the formula was prepared according to the mistranslated instructions, it could have been fatal.

The Cost

Mead Johnson suffered approximately 10 million dollars in losses due to product recalls.

Beyond the financial impact, the damage to brand trust and customer confidence was severe.

This case shows how translation errors in consumer products can endanger lives and destroy company reputation.

How to Avoid Translation Mistakes

These famous translation mistakes that cost millions lead to an important question: How can you avoid translation fails?

What should you do during international marketing and advertising campaigns to ensure your international content is of good quality and error-proof?

Step 1: Localize, Don't Just Translate

First and foremost, make sure you are localizing your content and not just translating.

There's a significant difference between the two. Here's a short read if you are not familiar with the difference between localization and translation.

Understanding Localization

Localization goes beyond word-for-word translation. It adapts content to fit the cultural context of the target audience.

Translation converts words from one language to another. Localization ensures those words resonate with local audiences.

Step 2: Hire Professionals Familiar with Culture

The localization of marketing and advertising content should be done by professionals.

These professionals must be familiar with not only the language but also the local culture, local sayings, and correct ways to address people.

They need knowledge of the right terms to use and local trends.

Step 3: Budget for Quality, Not Just Cost

As you work with professionals, you will be in touch with many different language service providers—translation agencies.

Make sure you have the budget to get your content or campaign properly localized.

Avoid the Lowest Bid Trap

Do not pick the translation agency that offers the lowest rate. This is the biggest mistake you can make when reaching out to broader audiences.

You could reach out to broader audiences, but content with translation errors that don't resonate with those audiences is surely doomed to fail.

In the end, it costs you far more than the initial translation budget.

Invest in Proven Providers

Professional translation providers have the expertise and resources to catch errors before they become costly mistakes.

They understand cultural nuances and can ensure your message lands correctly.

The upfront investment in quality translation pays dividends in brand protection and market success.

MotaWord Can Help You Avoid These Mistakes

MotaWord can help you localize your content and your international marketing and advertising campaigns.

We work with professional translators from over 150 countries in multiple languages—without breaking the bank.

We specialize in localizing your content to ensure it resonates with target audiences.

Try us here.

Fun fact: Did you know that MotaWord is a play on words from the French expression "mot à mot," which means "Word for word"?