Haagen-Dazs BRILLIANT Caption at the end! Image Source: Times of India
While reading history we often read “Indians and Dogs Not Allowed.” After 62 years of so called independence, you can spot the above signboard in India, in South Delhi. 🙂 Now they are saying, its a wrong choice of words. From where they hire their advertising people? Or which ad agency came out with such brilliant caption? Are their copywriters imbecile? I fail to realize what does Haagen-Dazs mean by “International Passport”? Do we need passport to travel within India? Raj Thackeray till now has been unsuccessful. 🙂 I think all the countries existing on this plant issue passports to their citizens for international travels. To travel in your own country you don’t need a “national passport?” But bright people who are responsible for preparing this campaign seem to be unaware of this simple fact.
Read for yourself, No Indian allowed here; Haagen-Dazs: Wrong choice of words
As there are no such things as ‘national’ passports — they are after all used only for international travel. it was apparent that ‘international’ was used as another word for ‘foreign’. And since the booklet’s only use, once the holder clears an airport immigration counter, is as a proof of nationality, the clear implication was that only foreigners would be allowed for the ‘preview’. It was not, however, intended to be a case of reworking the old British sign, ‘Dogs and Indians not allowed’.
Upon sustained queries to company officials about the intention of the campaign, it emerged that what Haagen-Dazs really wanted to convey was ‘Now get a taste of abroad right here in India’. But by preferring several long words — that are liable to be misinterpreted — instead of short, clear ones, they ended up generating a lot of heat: something that ice-cream brands, in particular, should steer clear of, if they don’t want their market to melt away, thanks to offended sensibilities. Especially, since it plans to open 30 to 40 outlets in the next few years.
Update
Now Haagen-Dazs has come up with an explanation. We apologise for creating the misimpression: Haagen-Dazs
Clearing the controversy surrounding the offending poster, Mukherji says, “The poster in question was part of initial local store communication at a few locations within the same mall announcing the opening of the new Häagen-Dazs shop in the property. The message was intended to suggest that you can enjoy, for instance, a taste of the French Riviera without travelling to France – at Häagen-Dazs. Unfortunately the reference to the international passport holder on the poster may have led to a significant miscommunication. This was completely unintended and we apologie for creating the misimpression that may have hurt our sentiments as Indians.”
Don’t get too upset about this sort of thing, Alka. As an old teacher I can assure you that those who write this kind of crap are not bad people, they are merely imbeciles in a hurry. I deal with pupils of this calibre all the time, and many of them are ‘good students’ who go on to become engineers and MBAs, so I keep telling them what I expect of them once they have entered working life. One brilliant kid wrote, years ago, in answer to a question on Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice, that ‘Portia had a wonderful father who wanted to marry her even after his death.’ And I happen to know that he too is an MBA now, probably drafting or vetting the sort of ads/notices which you find so offensive. My favourite proverb is ‘A fool, when he grows old, simply becomes an old fool’! I only shudder to think about the tastes and IQ-levels of the offspring that these morons are in turn now producing…
So that’s what it was? I was so bugged when I read the ad some days back…was wondering why they were not being kicked out of our country.I think an apology would still be needed, even if it’s just a wrong way of wording.
Madam, with all due respect to everyone’s opinion, to me it felt like a very cheap publicity stunt on their part. I cant agree more with Suvro sir(who also happens to be my teacher) when he says that people who wrote these are not bad people. I beleive that for every ad campaign there is supposed to be a chain of command and control – were they all sleeping till date. The philosophy is very simple – just conjure up some vile controversy at the very onset followed by a feeble and pathetic apology – public and media will immediately take up the story and the brand will get a tremendous publicity even if for all the wrong reasons and the cash register will start tinkering and thats it. Once the initial dust settles down, its great business all the way. If still something remains – find the scapegoat and nail him. I feel theres two way to tackle this kind of situation – 1. simply ignore 2. Put forward some very primitive punitive mechanism so that these ignobles think atleast 100 times before putting forward something so offensive.
Suvro, when I read, “I only shudder to think about the tastes and IQ-levels of the offspring that these morons are in turn now producing…” I see such kind of parents on regular basis and my heart goes out to children. I feel real helplessness that time.
Amit, what to say. These brands has become a fad. THEY KNOW people won’t stop flocking their joints apology or no apology. 🙂
Anirvan, welcome. You might be right. They might have issued everything with an eye to get media coverage. I agree with your soultions too. 🙂
Andhon Ki Nagri Hai….Chaupat Hai Raja
Be-Taka Ser Bhaaji Hai….Be-Sharmi Se Kha Ja
….Welcome To The Lost World….
….Replicas Repeat & Abuses Hurled….
….Indians And Dogs Not Allowed….
….Only Filthy Humans Are Avowed….
Ha!!!!
Double Ha!!!!
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