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Chevy's 'No-Va' and Other Durable Urban Legends
By Brian Akre
Director, Executive Communications & Global Corporate News Department
Ever come across a story that just seemed too good, funny or ironic to be true?
Take the tale of the Chevy Nova’s alleged poor sales in Spanish-speaking countries in the 1970s: GM allegedly failed to do its homework and learn what any student of Spanish 101 knows: That “no va” translates into “no go.” Or so the story goes.
That cautionary tale has appeared in numerous marketing textbooks and still keeps popping up in news stories and at seminars as an anecdote to illustrate how companies sometimes don’t do adequate research before introducing a new product overseas (imagine, GM being accused of not doing enough research!).
Only problem with the story: It’s bogus. False. Never happened.
But don’t take our word for it. There’s a handy web site that tests the claims of this and other “urban legends” of the corporate, Internet and generic varieties. It’s www.snopes.com, and it should be bookmarked on the computer of every journalist, analyst and academic. It includes an automotive section at www.snopes.com/autos.
According to the site’s “Urban Legends Reference Pages,” the Nova actually sold well in the Spanish-speaking counties where it was sold between ‘72 and ’78. It notes that GM was well aware of the translation and opted to retain the Nova name because the issue was deemed insignificant.
“The phrase “no va” and the word “nova” are distinct entities with different pronunciations in Spanish,” snopes.com reports. “Assuming that Spanish speakers would naturally see the word “nova” as equivalent to the phrase “no va” and think, `Hey, this car doesn’t go,’ is akin to assuming that English speakers would spurn a dinette set sold under the name “Notable” because nobody wants a dinette set that doesn’t include a table.”
To read the full story of the Nova/No Va legend, go to: www.snopes.com/business/misxlate/nova.asp
Posted by Editor on April 24, 2006 10:38 AM
Comments
Who would've thought GM had a funny-bone? LOL.
Posted by: mackingu on April 24, 2006 11:18 AM
Wow, I read the "Nova" tail in several text books while in University. It is funny to see how wrong items get published and pushed in our schools. This is no major lawsuit waiting to happen, but I am sure you could go after publishers or authors for making GM look incompetent over many years.
Posted by: Jeff Crew on April 24, 2006 11:29 AM
just goes to show how gullible people are when they don't stop to use a little common sense.
but then again, in America, what passes for "common sense" is'nt even intelligent anymore.
Posted by: ellis on April 24, 2006 2:28 PM
Good story, it's good to clear that up for everyone.
However, the less GM talks about the 1970's and 1980's, the better.
Go GM!
Posted by: Tom on April 24, 2006 8:19 PM
As a GM employee, I am glad to hear that we are finally serious about "telling the gm story". it's one thing to say it, and a much better thing to take even the silly examples and use them to make people rethink things.
thank you
Posted by: avie on April 24, 2006 8:45 PM
It goes to show how anti-GM many people in our country are.
Posted by: Dsuupr on April 24, 2006 10:36 PM
You´re absolutely right! I´m Colombian, I live in Colombia and Spanish is my first language. That´s why I can tell you that Nova is totaly different from no vá.
Nova comes from Latin and it means New, for instance, America was called Nova Terra or New Land.
In conclusion, from a native spanish speaker´s perspective it´s impossible to think that I can´t buy a Chevrolet Nova because it won´t go. It´s the opposite! Nova is a beautiful name.
I hope my knowledge can help you to have a better understandig about this false story.
By the way... I find this story kind of insulting because it shows an absolute ignorance about our language and shows Latin people as ignorants of how to buy a good car.
Posted by: Luis on April 25, 2006 10:54 AM
In my master's degree classes in public communication, this Nova reference is often used to demonstarate the importance of sound research before implementing strategy. Ironic that those who use it as a cautionary tale fall victim to it themselves. Thanks, GM for giving me some insight to make my profs look stupid!
Posted by: Mike Sacks on April 28, 2006 3:33 PM
Do something really cool and bring back the Tracker.
Posted by: William Doc Holiday on April 30, 2006 3:24 PM
The chinese, europeans and silicon valley have finally caught on to the idea that Fuelcells only work if you own a country with huge oil reserves. Unless you want to sell only to Canadians with your GMC line I suggest investing in Electric vehicles. America is getting smart and they will buy from the competition.
The car market & technologies are changing fast- can GM evolve?
Posted by: American Energy on July 11, 2006 9:46 PM
Thank you, GM, for taking the time out of your current crisis management to correct this grave misconception regarding a 30-year-old story. I do have one correction for you, however - the story as I was told in business school many years ago suggested that "No-Va" was said tongue-in-cheek or as a pun of sorts (much as would be said of a car named "Nogo" in the U.S. today). To suggest that people in Latin America would actually not buy the car because they thought the name implied it doesn't run is absurd, though I wouldn't be surprised if it did make it into textbooks. However, to suggest that a name such as that could make a company a laughingstock is totally within the realm of possibility and that is something which can be neither confirmed nor refuted. Seems that GM and its employees have more important things to worry about.
Posted by: Traci on October 28, 2006 5:31 PM
About Rolling Out Enclave:
Buick Enclave is targeting to compete the luxury market of SUV and CUV. Before they roll out this vehicle mamangement at Buick should serioulsy consider the price. The target price range for Buick is quite close to the price of Acura and Infiniti SUV. This will be a point of failure. Consider this, why would a consmuer spend $40K on a Buick when he can own an Acura or Infiniti for same price. Unless Buick is $8,000 cheaper then the established & well reputed competitors the company will not succeed in penetrating this class. Advise would be for Buick to roll out Enclave priced $5,000 less then competitors plus throw-in a $3,000 rebate (total $8,000 less then competitors). Later as the company makes big sales, company can always remove the $3k rebate.
Posted by: John tracy on December 26, 2006 1:28 PM
um NO nova does NOT mean new in spanish its NUEVA..
get it right
Posted by: alexandra on October 11, 2007 9:46 AM
I believe the post you are referring to states that "Nova" is Latin for the word "new", which it is.
You are confusing Spanish, which is a language derived from Latin (along with French, Italian, Romanian, & Portugeuse) with Latin itself.
Posted by: Indie08 on July 3, 2008 9:59 AM
