Colombians want to make sure ‘U’ know it’s an ‘O’

Latin America

Colombians want to make sure 'U' know it's an 'O'

International politicians, celebrities and multi-national companies have all made the same spelling mistake. But this South American nation is not giving-up on correcting it. Colombia is spelled with an ‘O’ not a ‘U.’

CCTV’s Michelle Begue spells it out.

It is a common mistake but one that makes some Colombian citizens cringe. It’s Colombia not ColUmbia!

A simple spelling mistake, foreigners that spell Colombia with a “U” instead of the “O.”

The mistake made headlines during the latest Copa America, when sporting goods manufacturer, Adidas – the sponsor of Colombia’s national soccer team – misspelled the name of the country in a United States advertising campaign.

For Colombians, the mistake is a frustration that goes beyond spelling. Many citizens here feel the international community not only repeatedly gets the name wrong, but also continually links them to the cocaine trade.

That is how the campaign “It’s Colombia Not Columbia” got started in 2013, first on social media with a Facebook page that received more than 30,000 likes.

Now, they have t-shirts and caps that are sold at Colombia’s airports so the reminder can be spread across the globe.

In certain ways, the campaign reflects many of its citizens, that despite challenges and decades of violence each one tries to push through with humor and a positive outlook.