
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, June 9, 1994                   TAG: 9406090054
SECTION: BUSINESS                    PAGE: B-7   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE: LONDON                                LENGTH: Medium

RISK OF OFFENDING CULTURES MAKES WORLD MARKETING TRICKY

McDonald's is not the only company to collide with Muslim sensitivities over its World Cup promotion. Coca-Cola also used the Saudi flag, with its sacred words from the Koran, on some cans from Spain.

The green-and-white flag of Saudi Arabia, a contender in this summer's soccer championship, features a passage that Muslims believe should be treated with reverence: ``There is no God but Allah, and Mohammed is his Prophet.''

Once the verse appeared on the cans and on carryout bags for McDonald's children's meals in Britain, the outcry came quickly: Many Muslims believe the holy words should not be used as a sales device, much less on things that will be crumpled up and thrown in the trash.

The outcry underscores the potential pitfalls of marketing products to millions of people of different nations and religions. The problem might have been avoided if marketing experts had taken heed of similar gaffes in the past.

Experts say any multinational corporation should carefully research new markets to avoid tainting the image of its products with cultural taboos or even awkward phrasing.

``There are certain shapes and certain colors and certain words you cannot use in some countries,'' said John Grace, a senior vice president at the brand identify consulting firm of Gerstman & Meyers Inc. in New York.

Grace suggests that even after companies carefully seek to avoid all potential land mines, they should show their packaging to people from the foreign culture as an added safety measure.

by CNB