What’s In a Product Name?

I came across this interesting post in Neatorama recently about product names & the deception behind it. Product names don't necessarily reflect the truth of the products, here is one example taken from the post


HÄAGEN DAZS


Sounds Like: An imported Scandinavian product.

The Truth: It was created by Ruben Mattus, a Polish immigrant who sold ice cream in New York City, who used what the New York Times called the "Vichyssoise Strategy":

Vichyssoise is a native New Yorker. Created at the Ritz Carlton in 1917, it masqueraded as a French soup and enjoyed enormous success. When Mattus created his ice cream, he used the same tactic ... He was not the first to think Americans would be willing to pay more for a better product. But he was the first to understand that they would be more likely to do so if they thought it was foreign. So he made up a ridiculous, impossible to pronounce name, [and] printed a map of Scandinavia on the carton.

The ice cream was actually made in Teaneck, New Jersey.

The post did a good job pointing out 'clever' product names but such marketing ploys are not unique to America. We do have a few of them in Malaysia as well. Here are some of the names that comes to mind


VINCCI


The name sounds like some high end Italian footwear maker. The shops are plastered with gigantic posters of Caucasians modeling their shoes to complete the illusion that it originates from Europe.

Truth is, Vincci is a Malaysian company under Padini Holdings Berhad. But I don't think that will stop the ladies from flocking to their shops especially during the Raya sales.

Other brand names under it includes Padini, Padini Authentics, PDI, P & Co, Seed and Miki.


1901


The name sounds like an established American hot dog chain with a long history. The design of their stores & pushcarts were reminiscent of hot dog stores from the States. And with a menu that consist of product names such as New York Chicken & Chicago Beef, did little to suggest otherwise.

Truth is, 1901 is a Malaysian company set up by Tengku Rozidar & Ahmad Zakir at the height of the financial crisis. Their approach proved to be very successful spawning 70 outlets by 2007 that many people still mistaking it for a American hot dog chain.


BIG APPLE DONUTS & COFFEE


Mentioned donuts & the first things that comes to mind are Homer Simpson & overweight American cops.


So, when Big Apple Donuts & Coffee opened in Malaysia, it definitely sounds like a chain store from America. The name & logo featuring the iconic Chrysler Building suggest that it originated from New York.

But the truth is, Big Apple Donuts is owned by a Malaysian, Mike Chan who discovered the finer points of making donuts from the United States.


BATA


Bata is a leading footwear manufacturer & marketeer in Malaysia with over 220 stores! Of course, we all knew & loved Bata for their school shoes. I remember fondly the yearly trips to Bata before the school semester begins to purchase new shoes.

Bata shoes are a part of many Malaysians school days. It is also an institution that is uniquely Malaysian right?

No, truth is Bata Shoes is a large, family owned shoe company. It is currently headquartered in Lausanne, Switzerland,. It has retail presence in over 50 countries & production facilities in 26 countries.

Malaysian Deception or Malaysia Boleh? You decide ^~^

15 Weird Things About Me

My apologies to Bernard for delaying this for so long. I have been tagged & this is what I need to do...

1. Each player of this game starts off with 15 weird things/ habits/ little known facts about yourself.
2. People who got tagged need need to write a post of their own 15 weird things/ habits/ little known facts as well as state this rule clearly.
3. At the end, you need to choose 10 people to be tagged & listed their names
4. No tag backs!!

Okay, so here it goes

1. acura is actually a brand of car sold in the US. I chose it as my nick cause it sounds exotic & mysterious. Not anymore, I guess.

2. I am terrified of dogs. They scared the daylights out of me.


3. I am a Taekwondo 1st Dan Black Belt holder, so think twice before you mess with me ^~^

4. I hate boy bands. The boy band era during the 90's is pure torture. I am just glad I survived it with my hearings intact.




5. I sleep when I am tired...when I am bored...when I am stressed...when I have got nothing to do...when I have got too much to do...when I am hungry...when I am, erm I guess you get the point.

6. I am only good in 1 sport : FIFA 08

7. I am currently taking German level 3, yet I still couldn't string a proper sentence in German.

8. I DO NOT forward or see the need to respond to chain mails.

9. I will watch any type of sports shown on TV. I even try watching golf in the middle of the night. And I think I have found the cure for insomnia.

10. I am nocturnal. I usually sleeps at 3am & wakes up around 1pm. My dad said it was because I was born in the year of the Tiger & tigers are nocturnal animals. Hmm...my dad always have answers for everything.




11. I was born in the year of the Tiger.

12. I am a 3rd year mechanical engineering student. I took it because the government told me to do so & erm, because I am scared of blood.

13. I was once a fan of pro wrestling, the WWE. I was so obsessed I go to school one day & locked my poor friend in a Figure Four Way till he taps out haha Oh, by the way...Please Don't Try This at Home (but they didn't mentioned anything about schools *wink*)




14. I still don't have a Facebook account.

15. I was kissed by a transvestite once. I happens after a tiger show in Haadyai & I was only 7 or 8 years old then.

Stop The Arrest!

Image from jelas.info

This is really too much!

1st, they detained Raja Petra under ISA for supposedly insulting Islam. Raja Petra saw it coming & even mentioned it in one of his post. True enough, after they lifted the ban on Malaysia Today, they promptly arrest him the very next day!

And later on, they arrested the lady reporter who reported about Ahmad Ismail's RACIST remark in Permatang Pauh. The Sin Chew journalist Tan Hoon Cheng was also arrested ISA. She was arrested for merely reporting the truth!

The racist son of a bitch only got a 3 year suspension for his remarks. The reporter got arrested under ISA. I am no supporter of ISA but this is a clear case of DOUBLE STANDARDS!

And as I type, Teresa Kok has also been detained under ISA.

I am seething with anger now!

Nobody deserves to be held without trial. Nobody deserves to be detained without a chance to defend themselves! It is inhumane to do so.

To those who authorise the arrests, all I can say is....Fuck You!