I recall my unintentional reaction some years ago when our newsroom manager in Shanghai told me they would be closed on a certain Friday for “Tomb Sweeping Day.”  Jokingly, I recall responding to her with something to the effect that Fridays can be “dead” around here, too. The problem: It wasn’t funny to them. Qingming is a traditional Chinese festival for people to go outside and enjoy the greenery of springtime and tend to the graves of their departed. (more…)

Some of the most famous taglines and successful marketing campaigns of all time have been complete flops in foreign markets because they were translated literally.  Consider these slogan translation mishaps: (more…)

The term “emerging market” is vague enough that it could have a variety of meanings. Are we talking business verticals or Whole Foods’ newest rival? Actually, neither. An emerging market is any nation that is experiencing rapid growth, usually with regards to society and business, while undergoing political reforms. Or, so says Wikipedia. For example, China and India are emerging markets. (more…)