CHEVROLET NOVA

The story of the Chevrolet Nova is one of the most amusing yet misleading tales in marketing folklore. According to legend, Chevrolet made a catastrophic mistake by naming their car “Nova” and launching it in Spanish-speaking countries, where “No va” supposedly meant “doesn’t go.” The idea of an automaker accidentally branding their vehicle as “The Car That Won’t Move” is undeniably funny, but in reality, the Nova sold just fine in Latin America. Spanish speakers didn’t interpret it as two separate words—just as English speakers wouldn’t assume a "Notable" car is actually "Not Able."

However, the humor in this myth serves as a great reminder that linguistic and cultural awareness in branding is no laughing matter. While this particular case didn’t harm sales, poorly researched product names have caused real marketing disasters, proving that a little global consideration can go a long way in avoiding unintentional comedy.