DKNY = donkey

I was walking to church when I spotted my friend and her 2 daughters (then aged 7 and 5 years) a few metres ahead of me. I walked quietly behind them as we passed the DKNY store. The older girl said, "Mummy, look! Donkey." Her mother didn't pay too much attention, so she repeated, "Mummy, donkey!" Her mother nodded and kept walking.

I had a good laugh. Children today grow up in text language, rather than fully spelled out words. Of course, we all know that "DKNY" stands for Donna Karan New York. But to this little girl who knows nothing about designer labels, DKNY is simply a short form for "donkey". Actually, the text form should be "dnky" rather than "dkny". But, what's the difference anyway? It's still "donkey" to the 7-year-old.

Well, I don't think the PR and Marketing people at DKNY would be very amused, but that's what they're there for - to change our perceptions of their brand. C'mon DKNY Marketing folks, tell us that DKNY does not mean "donkey"! Haha. Tell that to a 7-year-old! By the time she grows up to appreciate fashion, DKNY might be a label for her mother!

Branding is essential to a company. Choose your brand name carefully. You may end up with strange looks in another country just because you've wished sickness on your customer or chosen a daredevil name for your fancy car license plate. At the end of the day, it pays to know some words in another language, even if only a few. It could mean the difference between sickness and health or life and death for your company's reputation (puns fully intended).

Have fun with languages! They open up a whole new world to you!

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