Showing posts with label advertising. Show all posts
Showing posts with label advertising. Show all posts

Saturday, May 24, 2008

Better not to be a bagman

Picking a name for a company brand is never easy. But really, folks need to do a bit more research into the words and phrases they use in their company and brand names.

For instance, I came across a store called Bagman in the newish Jaya33 shopping centre in PJ. This is the one near the old Jaya supermarket (R.I.P.)

For me, the word "bagman" has negative connotations. Or maybe I've just watched too many crime movies and TV programmes.

Princeton U's Wordnet defines bagman as:

(n) travelling salesman, commercial traveler, commercial traveller, roadman, bagman (a salesman who travels to call on customers)

(n) bagman (a racketeer assigned to collect or distribute payoff money)


Wikipedia has a longer definition, and it is pretty much what my idea of a bagman is:

A bag man (or bagman), also known as a delivery boy or running man, is a person designated to collect money in a protection racket. Originally the term applied only to Mafia members collecting for mob bosses, but the term later spread to use in corrupt police precincts where a foot patrolman was the designated "bagman" to pick up and deliver bribes from the local mob(s) to the precinct captain. In many cases, the bagman receives a fraction of the money collected and acts as "insulation" to protect higher-ups from exposure or direct prosecution. The term can also be used for a person who performs small tasks for the Mafia, such as chaffeuring, transportation of goods, or even shakedowns.

The term is also used pejoratively to describe fundraisers for political parties and employees of the IRS.


Now, I'm sure the company produces quality bags. Still, I would rather not go through customs /immigration with a bag labeled "Bagman". Even if you could ignore its association with the underworld, the word still has a "delivery boy" connotation; which high-level executive would want to be seen carrying a "Bagman" product? The company's tagline is also quite amusing, as you can see below (pic links to their website).


Here's another profound quote from their site, under "Message from CEO":


Previously:
Granfalloon

Monday, April 14, 2008

The greatest ad ever

Folks in the advertising industry often cite Apple's 1984 ad as the greatest TV commercial ever (full ad available on Google video). But nooooo... they are sadly mistaken. This ad from the Ivory Coast surely deserves the honour. It features Super Timor, a bug spray.



Transcription (in French, thanks Mireille!):

(Aïe)
Ne tuez plus les moustiques avec des claques sur vos joues !
(Aïe)
Des claques sur vos cuisses !
(Ouyouyouille)
Des claques sur vos bras !
(Aïe)
Super Timor est là !

Super Timor est encore plus fort, avec sa nouvelle formule.
(Super Timor)
Le temps de sentir l'odeur Super Timor,
(pchiiit, pchiiit)
les insectes sont déjà morts !
(Super Timor)

Super Timor, avec sa nouvelle formule, vraiment, vraiment plus fort !
(Super Timor !)
(Super Timor !)
Le numéro un.

English translation (thanks Google translate, et al):

(Aee)
Don't kill bugs anymore with slaps on your cheeks,
(Aee)
Slaps on your thighs,
(O yo yo)
Slaps on your arms;
(Aee)
Super Timor is here

Super Timor is even stronger With its new formula
(Super Timor !)
Just a whiff of the Super Timor odour,
(_Spray sounds_)
and the bugs drop dead !
(Super Timor !)

New formula Super Timor; Much MUCH stronger !
(Super Timor !)
(Super Timor !)
The Number One.

Tuesday, March 06, 2007

No ban of fast food ads, but don't allow kid ads

I think fast food companies should be allowed to advertise, like any other business. However, I propose the following restrictions because of the high number of ads aimed at kids:

1) No targeting of children in fast food ads.
2) No sponsorship of cartoons and "kid's clubs".
3) No bundling of toys and a kid-related products with fast food.
4) No setting up of playgrounds or "daycare" centres at fast food locations.

This would be for the same reason we don't allow cigarette ads to be targeted at kids: Children are not knowledgeable enough to make health decisions.