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.”