ADVERTISING
(1-17)
1. Fresca, the soft drink, had problems when it was sold in Mexico.
There, Fresca is slang for lesbian.
2.
In Mexico, the Chevy "Nova" was a bit of a joke -- "no
va" in Spanish means, "Won't go.."
3.
Nike has a television commercial for hiking shoes that was shot in
using Samburu tribesmen. The camera closes in on the one tribesman
who speaks, in native Maa. As he speaks, the Nike slogan "Just
do it" appears on the screen. Lee Cronk, an anthropologist at
the University of Cincinnati, says the Kenyan is really saying, "I
don't want these. Give me big shoes." Says Nike's Elizabeth Dolan,
"We thought nobody in America would know what he said."
4.
The most expensive advertisement slots in American TV history were
during the last episode of "Seinfeld". Each 30-second spot
sold for an estimated $1.5 million. NBC made more than $30 million
in advertising revenues on that one show.
5.
When Gerber baby foods began to sell in parts of Africa, they continued
to use their usual packaging, with the cute baby on the front. They
didn't realize until later that where they were selling it, it was
a common practice to help illiterate people buy things by putting
pictures on the wrapper of what was inside....
6.
Mr. Peanut was invented in 1916 by a Suffolk, Virginia schoolchild
who won $5 in a design contest sponsored by Planters Peanuts.
7.
The first toy product ever advertised on television was Mr. Potato
Head®. Introduced in 1952, Mr. Potato Head® took advantage
of TV's explosive growth to gain access to tens of millions of newly
"plugged-in" households.
8.
When Coca-Cola began to be sold in China, they used characters that
would sound like "Coca-Cola" when spoken. Unfortunately,
what they turned out to mean was "Bite the wax tadpole".
It did not sell well.
9.
In Chinese, the Kentucky Fried Chicken slogan 'finger-lickin' good'
came out as 'eat your fingers off.'
10.
Colgate faced a big obstacle marketing toothpaste in Spanish speaking
countries. Colgate translates into the command "go hang yourself."
11.
In the 40's, the Bich pen was changed to Bic for fear that Americans
would pronounce it 'Bitch.' source
12.
Guinness is considered an aphrodisiac in some African countries, and
is marketed under the slogan "a baby in every bottle." source
13.
A clay tablet dating around 4000 BC excavated in what is today Syria
is inscribed what is know as the earliest know beer advertisement.
The tablet is adorned with a large-breasted woman holding two goblets
and is inscribed with the caption " Drink Ebla Beer - the beer
with the heart of a lion!" - Zymurgy ’98 source
14.
Norwalk, Connecticut - The Caldor department store chain apologized
this week after 11 million copies of an advertising circular showed
two smiling boys playing Scrabble around a board with the word "RAPE"
spelled out. Caldor said it does not know who did it or how it got
past the proofreaders. source
15.
Some carousel advertisements in early nineteenth century America stated
that the ride was highly recommended by physicians as an aid in circulating
the blood. source
16.
Pepsi’s “Come alive with the Pepsi generation” slogan,
when translated into Chinese means “Pepsi brings your ancestors
back from the Grave.” source
17.
In one year, the average child sees about 20,000 30-second commercials.
source
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