IKEA has a new line in their stores with products for children which they call Barnslig. As you may know, IKEA is a Swedish company (hence the blue and yellow colours) and in Swedish Barnslig means childish. Sounds like an excellent name for a product line for children.
The problem is that just across the channel, in neighbouring Denmark, Barnslig doesn't mean childish. That would be spelled barnlig. But what "barns lig" means is a child's body. That's a rather unfortunate meaning for a product line for children (or any other product line for that matter). I couldn't imagine putting my child into a sleeping bag called child's body. It would be like letting my child sleep in a body bag, which I would of course never do.
IKEA has stopped selling the sleeping bags, but that's got nothing to do with the name. The zippers didn't work. The rest of the product line, stuffed animals, towels, sheets, pillows etc. is still in the shelfs under the name "Barnslig". Childish mistake and unnecessary.
Hjörtur
Related articles:
Bad Barnding: Lolita Beds Pulled by Woolworths
There are many cases of those "name-disasters" in the history of advertising. It's funny to know people still make the same mistakes. =)
Posted by: Tedel | July 17, 2008 at 02:26 PM
Great catch! A body bag is a bit 'disturbing', but love ikea!
Posted by: Leah McChesney | July 22, 2008 at 03:08 AM