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IKEA’s Store Sign Is Either An Awkward Translation Fail Or Brilliant Advertising
By Mikelle Leow, 21 Aug 2020
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Image via Willem Michael Bulder / Shutterstock.com
IKEA, as it turns out, is just like everyone else. Not only is it playing Animal Crossing, but it also occasionally delivers error-filled messages.
IKEA Bahrain suddenly gained worldwide attention due to a lapse in translation in its storefront sign. The discovery was made by Twitter user @FlirtingKaapi, who shared a photo of the IKEA store with an outdoor ad reading, “Create your perfect night’s sleep,” in English, followed by, “Same text, but in Arabic.”
Internet users were thoroughly amused at the gaffe. While it strikes as odd that the massive sign would make its way up there without employees noticing anything wrong, as an ad, it has served its purpose of getting people to talk about it.
Weirdly enough, the translation fail could have actually been an honest mistake. The Twitter user later updated that IKEA Bahrain had replaced the sign so that the line in Arabic matches the English text.
Ikeaaaaa what you doing???
— Sneha (@FlirtingKaapi) August 20, 2020
P.S the Arabic copy says, "Same text but in Arabic". pic.twitter.com/B6aiOpQdK0
For the doubters (pic by @griner ) pic.twitter.com/DBsqV4Yi6M
— Sneha (@FlirtingKaapi) August 20, 2020
They changed it! It now reads, “This is what happens when you don’t get good sleep. Enjoy your perfect sleep” @IKEABH pic.twitter.com/DtuQvJpzk8
— Sneha (@FlirtingKaapi) August 20, 2020
The manager who couldn't read Arabic probably asked a local to read it. And the local would've said, "same text but in Arabic". 😂😂🤣🤣 https://t.co/CW3LmjBP6j
— Hetal Rach (@heytal) August 21, 2020
Same energy. https://t.co/fcosdCTmGx pic.twitter.com/TYTAGbgBaR
— RR (@rober_ramirez) August 20, 2020
[via India Today, images via various sources]
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