In 1989, Nike— infamously— tried to promote hiking boots by featuring Kenya’s Samburu tribe in a TV ad (here’s a poster from the campaign). Sounds cool, right? Except there was one glaring problem: the translation. They wanted to highlight the tribe, which are known to travel long distances barefoot, by making them say their iconic slogan “Just Do It,” in their language.
However, the tribesman’s words actually translated to, “I don’t want these. Give me bigger shoes.” But how could Nike have made such a big mistake? Apparently, Nike’s crew winged it because they couldn’t get the Samburu people to say “Just do it” in Maa, their language. Instead, they aired it regardless because they assumed no one in the U.S. would catch it. Big mistake.
To their luck, Lee Cronk, an anthropologist who spent time living with the Samburu people took notice and exposed them harshly. Even worse the New York Times reported the their response was “we thought nobody in America would know what he said” as they issued their lazy apology (1989).
Now, what’s the takeaway here for attorneys? If you’re trying to reach a Spanish-speaking audience, bad translations will make you look unprepared, untrustworthy, and even lazy. Even if your heart’s in the right place, a sloppy translation tells potential clients that you cut corners. You have to set the standard of always translating Spanish correctly. If you don’t, you have to assume the worst if you send out a campaign with wrong grammar or mistakes in translation. You have to assume that the public will berate you like they did to Nike in 1989. Even if they don’t, it’s likely they’re going to pick the attorney who shows they care enough to get it right.
Here’s the deal: don’t be Nike in this situation. Spend the time and the money to have a real person, preferably a native speaker, ensure that your message makes sense. Because a clear, accurate translation isn’t just a nice-to-have—it’s essential. You don’t want to be caught in the crossfire of retaliation and unforgiveness.