While doing a research on DHA’s beneficial intake I happened to stumble with new Danone’s Group “Danino” yogurt. This product targeted for children is intended to be a great source of Omega3 Fatty Acids beneficial for brain and retina development which many people lack in their daily diet.
Besides the good benefits this product brings to consumers, what caught my eye at first sight was that the name itself “DANINO” reads to me as “DAÑINO” which in Spanish means “HARMFUL”. Crazy right?…I know “niño” means “boy” in English which could be why the company decided the name to match it like most Danone’s products (Dannisimo, DanActive, Danimals), but to all of the people who speak Spanish is a little bit of a shock that the product has a first impression meaning name like this. With sort of two meanings.
For such a big company like Danone it is strange to me that they did not consider Spanish as one of the languages this product was going to be read in. I might be wrong, they might have done a naming study but, makes you wonder.
About design:
It is interesting to see that the impact I had on the word “Danino” with (option 1) design was negative, but no so much in (option 2) because it has a softer typography and a graphic cute heart that looks unharmful.
The positive? this is a great product. I love the idea that kids can get such an important supplement by just enjoying their yogurt.
More info:
• Launched in Canada on 2006-02-24.
• For Danino website click here
• Más información acerca de los ácidos grasos Omega 3 en Español
Image Source: from the internet.
Comments
I was curious why my son (7) likes these things so much, so I tried one today, googled "danino" to see what was in it, and found your comment. BTW, these things taste good, but it's probably the added sugar.
I speak Spanish as my first language and to tell you the truth "DANINO" is not "DAN~INO."
So, no. I didn't think of "harmful" first hand. Though it may just be me...It's not like the Chevy "Nova" thingy everyone talks about in marketing 101.
Hi there,
Well first of all to let you know that if you speak spanish, you should know next:
-The original company bearing the corporate name was founded in 1919 by Isaac Carasso in Barcelona (Spain) as a small factory producing yoghurt. The factory was named "Danone", a Catalan diminutive of the name of his first son (ONE)named Daniel (DANI)therefore = DAN+ONE= DANONE.
Ten years later, the first French factory was built, but during WWII, Daniel Carasso moved the company to New York, where Dannon Milk Products Inc. was founded. In the United States, Daniel partnered with the Swiss-born Spaniard Joe Metzger and changed the brand name to Dannon to sound more American.
Moreover, regarding your coment..“DANINO” ..you must not understand spanish as it that not means at all “DAÑINO”. As you well explain...“niño” means “boy” in English. Where if we take da+the word boy =(daniño). Have a look that ñ goes with the o= ño. If we consider your way of thinking....ÑINO doesn't mean anything in spanish so if the company even decides to call it DAniño, it will means..da (from the verbe to give)+ niño= give it to the boy.
It was already planned all that by the spanish creator of Danone.
I hope this would help you!
Regards,
Elena (Spanish native speaker).
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