Even global giants still stumble when local nuance is ignored. See if you can spot the red flags that led to 2025’s most talked‑about cross‑cultural fails.
Which color choice caused a 2025 fast‑fashion ad in Brazil to be mocked for funeral connotations?
Pastel outfits with blue daisies
Red dresses beside yellow tulips
All‑white apparel against black roses
Neon green suits in a desert
In 2025, why did a Swedish dairy slogan ‘Låt oss bryta isen’ create confusion in Malaysia?
It resembled a rival brand’s jingle
Literal translation implied breaking Ramadan fast with ice cream
It contained an unpronounceable consonant cluster
Local slang read it as a political insult
Bayan‑Tech’s 2025 whitepaper cites which classic Hofstede dimension as most neglected in translation blunders?
Individualism
Uncertainty avoidance
Power distance
Long‑term orientation
What product did a 2025 cosmetics brand recall in Japan after kanji misprint read ‘grave scent’ instead of ‘grape’?
Facial serum
Shower gel
Lipstick
Hand cream
The 2025 News.com.au report on White Glo’s ad backlash centered on which mistake?
Depicting kangaroos in snow
Translating a slogan into Kiwi slang
Misquoting a national anthem line
Using an Aboriginal sacred site as a casual surfing backdrop
Which gesture did the 2025 UN Tourism guide advise airlines to avoid on safety cards for South‑Asian routes?
Fist bump
Open palm wave
Thumbs‑up hand sign
Peace (V) sign
A 2025 campaign by a German beer brand tanked in the UAE after showcasing ______.
heritage brewing barrels
zero‑alcohol variants only
soccer watch parties in Europe
holiday beach scenes featuring alcohol at sunset
Which device name was hastily changed in 2025 when Chinese users pointed out it phonetically matched a vulgar slang?
‘Voro’ drone
‘Nubo’ smart speaker
‘Piko’ earbuds
‘Lexi’ e‑reader
The 2025 OECD brief says firms can pre‑empt blunders by first mapping ______.
school holiday calendars
GDP growth forecasts
average household size
semantically risky homophones
After a 2025 food‑delivery tweet joking about ‘late‑night dog meat’, which apology tactic eased backlash fastest in Korea?
Link to an English press release
Charity donation pledge only
Video statement from the CEO in Korean within 12 hours
Deleting the tweet silently
Starter
You noticed some slip‑ups, but a few cultural tripwires still caught you—review local symbols before you ship.
Solid
Strong eye for cross‑cultural nuance; double‑check idioms and imagery to reach expert level.
Expert!
Flawless! Cultural intelligence is clearly in your wheelhouse—keep leading those global checks.
