Disastrous brand name meanings

Here are a few examples:

1. Ayds – This brand was popular in the 1970s as a weight loss aid. However, when the AIDS epidemic emerged in the 1980s, the name became a liability and the brand eventually disappeared.
2. Fanny – In the United States, the word "fanny" is a slang term for buttocks. This caused trouble for the British clothing brand Fanny Adams, which was forced to change its name after its launch in the US.
3. Barf – In 1991, Coca-Cola launched a drink called "OK Soda," which featured the word "Barf" on the can. While the brand did not explicitly reference vomiting, the association was too strong and the drink failed.
4. Isis – Before the rise of the terrorist group, ISIS was the name of a British fashion retailer. The brand struggled to distance itself from the negative connotations of the name and eventually rebranded as "The Lovisa."
5. Colon – In the late 1950s, Ford launched a car called the Edsel. One of the models was named the Edsel Citation, but in some markets, the car was marketed as the Edsel Colon. Needless to say, this did not go over well, and the name was eventually dropped.
6. Nova – When General Motors introduced the Chevrolet Nova in Spanish-speaking markets, the name was interpreted as "no va," which means "doesn't go" in Spanish. Needless to say, the car did not sell well in these markets.
7. Poo-Pourri – While the name of this toilet spray is intended to be humorous, it can also be interpreted as crude and juvenile, turning off some potential customers.
8. Bimbo – In Mexico, Bimbo is a popular brand of bread and baked goods. However, in English-speaking countries, the word "bimbo" is a derogatory term for an unintelligent woman, which could make it difficult for the brand to expand into these markets.
9. iSnack 2.0 – In 2009, Kraft Foods held a contest in Australia to name a new flavor of Vegemite, a popular spread. The winning name, iSnack 2.0, was widely criticized as being too tech-focused and out of touch with the product. Kraft eventually changed the name to "Cheesybite."
10. SARS – In 2003, during the SARS outbreak, a Taiwanese electronics company launched a line of MP3 players called "SARS." Needless to say, the name was quickly changed.
11. Cripps Pink – This is the official name for the popular apple variety also known as Pink Lady. However, the word "cripple" has negative connotations, making the name potentially offensive to some people.
12. Nova Scotia – This Canadian province is named after the Latin phrase "New Scotland." However, in some Spanish-speaking countries, "nova" means "no go," leading to confusion and misunderstandings.
13. KKK Kids – In Sweden, a line of children's clothing called "Klader, Karlek och Kropp" was shortened to "KKK," which caused outrage and prompted the company to change its name.
14. Hitler – In India, a clothing store named after the infamous Nazi dictator caused controversy and was eventually forced to change its name.
15. Fukushima – This Japanese city was unfortunately associated with the nuclear disaster that occurred there in 2011. As a result, some companies with the word "Fukushima" in their names have struggled to attract customers.

Some of these are in the category 'how did that pass the sign off process'? Others are just plain unlucky. A few are just a lack of research and street smarts. What might seem like expensive research at the time is a bargain compared to the product's catastrophic public demise.