Much like the manufacturers of Deepresso,
...these wonderful folks have taken an English word and slightly modified it. This allows Japanese folk to make the association with the feeling/thing that they want to connect their product to.
Drug companies do this also, by the way.
For example:
Vigour AAAH!---> Viagara
Make Alice Sigh ---> Cialis
Awesome.
Now, imagine that you want to market a creamer for coffee or other hot drinks. You want to make sure that the wonderful Nihonjinsumer makes associations with a word that matches your product.
So, you start with the word "Cream".
Just to make sure there is no confusion, you only change one letter...and you only change it by a few letters in the alphabet. Say... 3 letters further down the alphabet.
m...
n...
o...
p...
Japanese consumer: Sounds delicious!
Native speaker: What the "#%&!& are you selling in that can???!?!?
You see, here in Japan, no one really cares what the actual meaning is. The sound of the product is much more important for promoting sales. Thus, if you associate your product with bad dates and people that grope girls on the train (Creep), no one really cares....as long as it sounds good.
mmmm..... train gropey in my coffee.
5 comments:
I've pointed out the creap stuff to my girlfriend myself, she didn't see anything wrong with the name - or the fashion store called "Starvations".
The sound of the product is much more important for promoting sales. Thus, if you associate your product with bad dates and people that grope girls on the train (Creep), no one really cares....as long as it sounds good.
I'm considering starting a restaurant to sell chikan.
Ed:
I'm considering starting a restaurant to sell chikan.
For dessert, you can serve them something in a Pie pan!
I'd eat there.
chikan: "a pervert"...Specifically one who gropes women on the train.
paipan: "blank tile" from mah-jong. It's slang for "shaved pussy".
Jarvik : Can you snag a picture of that store? I'd love to post it.
For a really disturbing, creepy even, experience, try out my new No-pan Chikan restaurant.
Link.
Starvations is a kids clothing store.
[Link]
[Link]
[Link]
For more info search on Japanese google
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