Paul Merrill
The makers of Cheez-It snacks weren’t thinking too well. Only a tiny precentage of their buyers would ever notice the name change from “Party Mix” to “Snack Mix.” My guess is that their staff were so excited about the new name that they felt they had to announce it on the box.
The rest of us? We would never have noticed the name change.
Takeaway: Think of your audience in any communications you create. Consider what they care about.
If you’re in North America, you will have seen the popular “Coexist” bumper sticker. I don’t like it.
Why? Coexist means to tolerate. And tolerate means to barely get along with.
I would propose a better sticker: “Love.” I think it’s much better to aspire to loving those who believe differently than we do – rather than simply living with them on the same street.
What would it take to love people different than us? That’s your homework. It may take a few days to figure out.
Credit goes to a Polish graphic designer, Piotr Mlodozeniec, who designed the first coexist image.
Copyright laws are a bit looser in other parts of the world than America.
Lexus Crackers? I didn’t try them, but I’m guessing they had a smooth, relaxed flavor.
If the “munchy’s” company tried selling them in the States, the product would be quickly taken off the market.
(I saw them on the shelf of a supermarket in Malaysia.)
This sign appears next to escalators in the Hong Kong Airport.
What they meant was, “Make sure that you help children and elderly people navigate this escalator safely.” (True, my long version would not work in that space.) However, the translator’s lack of knowledge of the finer points of English may have been a good thing. Perhaps this sign caused a few English mother-tongue speakers to increase their caring for the children and elderly with them.
Hard to tell from this picture, but Apple was displaying giant iPads inside giant snowdomes. The display creators took the analogy a little further and had snow falling throughout the whole display, rather than just inside the dome.
I thought that was a very fun way to capture the viewer’s imagination. (And that appeared to be true for those inside the store, anyhow.)
It’s often helpful to take things out of context. That can greatly increase awareness of what you wanted to highlight.
I get daily emails from a discount online luxury retailer. (And one time, I actually bought something!) Anyhow, a few weeks ago, this picture appeared with one of their sales. Please notice how the type around the lens on the left camera is backwards. The art director thought it would look better if the cameras were facing each other. Unfortunately, that’s not how those cameras are made.
I was maybe one of a thousand who noticed the mistake. Was it a big deal? No. But I submit that it was a choice that should not have been made. And there are always some out there (like me) who care about details.
Check out the descriptive words in this write-up.
They just don’t use words like that to describe products (or product features) anymore. I would propose that it is OK to return to such descriptions.
(Tiny article courtesy of Automobile Magazine, December 2010.)
You know that.
But I’m reminding you. Visiting another country, where your language is not the primary language, is a good way to remember that language is important.
In Malaysia, Bahasa Malay is the main language. English is very common, but Bahasa is the preferred way of communicating.
“Easy” is a campaign or product for one of the banks there. I had to ask a local what the billboard (and storefronts) were advertising. The non-verbal cues were not enough for me to figure it out. (Apparently, it’s a form of quick banking.)
Interestingly, in Kuala Lumpur, some advertising is in English, and some is in Bahasa. I guess it depends on the target audience.
I loved these signs. The top one looks like a pregnant lady’s tummy is radiating heat. (Real meaning – give your seat up for pregnant ladies.) The bottom sign looks like if you push the button, fire will come out at you. (Real meaning – fire alarm.)
I bought a fancy Japanese umbrella by Mont Bell.
Fabric? Polkatex! I love the name – it brings a smile to my face. However, it might not communicate “strong waterproof fabric” in America like it might in Japan.
Sadly, when the user opens the umbrella, each strut has to be snapped into place – a small hassle. But it’s comforting to know that the waterproofing will last a long time!
