Did You Know . . .
The three most valuable brand names on earth:
Marlboro,
Coca Cola,
and
Budweiser,
in that order
In the world of advertising and promotion care has to be taken when producing packaging for goods intended for export.
What may seem perfectly normal in the UK can have repercussions or cause offence elsewhere in the world.
Richard Head, of Siebert/Head Ltd, compiled the following list as a guide for copywriters in his company. It is an eye-opener for the uninitiated.
In Europe, France, Holland and Sweden, Green is associated with cosmetics.
In Europe generally, designs resembling the swastika are normally disliked.
France thinks of Red as masculine. But for the rest of the world Blue is masculine. Avoid illustrations showing liquor being poured.
In Germany the use of superlatives in packaging copy is forbidden. “Mist” is the word for dung - the word “gift” means poison.
Holland, avoid using German national colours.
Ireland: Green and Orange should be used with care.
Spain: Bikini-clad girls should not be used in illustrations.
Sweden: Swedes do not like packaging showing gold or blue. Combinations of white and blue, the colours of the national flag, are best avoided. Consumers do not like giant packs, and the brand name must be pronounceable in Swedish.
Switzerland: Yellow means cosmetics. Blue means textiles. The oval is an omen of death.
Turkey: A green triangle signifies a free sample.
Non-European countries generally
Arab countries: Always take care when using green because it has Muslim connotations. Avoid designs incorporating a cross.
Buddhist countries: Saffron yellow indicates priests.
The East generally
Yellow means plenty. Yellow and pink together connote pornography.
Eastern Asia: Avoid the circle as it has connotations of the Japanese flag.
Ivory Coast: Dark red indicates death.
Latin America: Purple indicates death.
Muslim countries: Green is a Holy colour and should be used with care. (Most Muslim countries have green in their flags.)
If you have any jokes please send them to me and I’ll add them to my site