For each set of three sentences, think of ONE word that can be used appropriately for all three sentences.
Trio #1
1. He was afraid that his revolutionary proposals would ___________ with strong opposition from hardliners.
2. The Chinese factories were operating non stop churning out shoes to ___________ the demand in Europe and the US.
3. With only 200 dollars a month, the family struggled to make ends ___________ .
Trio #2
1. The birds build their nests in early September and begin to ___________ their eggs two weeks later, always being on the lookout for predators.
2. The press speculated whether the new telecommunications company was going to ___________ cables on the seabed to improve the existing system.
3. One of my responsibilities at home is to ___________ the table in the evening.
Trio #3
1. It's irritating that they do nothing but ___________ lies about our family. The whole village is about to believe their incredible stories.
2. Don't allow the educational system to restrict your thinking abilities. I urge you to ___________ your wings and do things your way.
3. He opened the jar, took out some jam with his knife and ___________ it evenly on the warm toast.
Trio #4
1. Marijuana is not regarded as a ___________ drug. That's why some countries are thinking of letting people use it, at least for medical purposes.
2. It's ___________ to believe that there are no good people out there. I'm sure you can find some good-natured individuals in this area.
3. I'm trying to spare you learning things the ___________ way. Follow my advice and you don't need to make mistakes.
Trio #5
1. The latest ___________ in The New York Times was not favourable. He felt the morac was underrated.
2. At the end of your first year at work we will ___________ your salary and give you a company car.
3. The reclusive dictator showed up at a military parade to ___________ his troops and show his defiant opponents he was still in power.
Trio #6
1. Blankets and shelters were in ___________ supply in the aftermath of the disaster.
2. Nobody in this business knew his real name. He was called Bill for ___________ .
3. She reacted angrily when her name hadn't been included on the ___________ list.
Trio #7
1. Though the movie was widely ___________ across the country, the sales were a disappointment for the studio.
2. For a woman to get ___________ in the business world seems to be a tall order in a predominantly male environment.
3. This web site was shut down soon after the Internet provider realized it ___________ extreme views inciting violence.
Trio #8
1. Holmes immediately spotted two ___________ marks on the neck of the victim which he thought might have been left by a snake of some kind.
2. Don't ___________ the hand that feeds you. It was me who got you promoted and now, Ron, you're plotting behind my back. Shame on you!
3. 'Fred, can I have some of your apple?' 'Sure. Have a ___________ .
Trio #9
1. I'm absolutely ___________ the horse will win the race. There's no doubt about it.
2. It came as a shock to her husband when she tested ___________ for a sexually transmitted disease.
3. The guru stresses the power of ___________ thinking in his lectures, saying it helps to overcome problems and reduce strain.
Trio #10
1. It was one of the gang's members that ___________ the agent's cover as he'd seen him in uniform before.
2. Feeling tired, Lind put away the book, ___________ out the candle and went to sleep.
3. Separatists ___________ up several bridges in the province sending a violent message to the capital.
Friday 26 February 2010
Thursday 25 February 2010
Cartoon: Calvin & Hobbes
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Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
Part 6
Clicking on each cartoon will give you a bigger, clearer version to look at.
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Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
Part 6
Clicking on each cartoon will give you a bigger, clearer version to look at.
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WB-ED Murder Mystery 2010: Part One
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The Inn at Death's Door - Chapter 1
You are in an open carriage, on your way from the airfield at Zurich. A vista opens up before you and there it is, nestled in the woods just ahead - the alpine inn where you'll be spending the
night. It resembles a Swiss chalet, which is not surprising. You are, after all, in Switzerland, traveling on a rocky road that meanders within sight of the Rhine River in the frozen valley below.
But this is no chalet of fairy tale imaginings. The white of the gingerbread porches is the color of soot. The windows stare out like blackened eyes. And as the driver clicks his tongue and the horse pulls you onto an icy wooden bridge spanning a deep ravine, you realize something curious and unsettling. The driver is blind.
"Dobbin knows the way," he says, perhaps sensing your concern. You scold yourself for not having noticed this sooner. You are a private investigator, being paid to do nothing more than keep your eyes and ears open. This is not a good start.
You're the fifth guest to arrive, he tells you. A British officer, Colonel Mustard, showed up this morning feeling a little under the weather and taking his meals in his room. Three more arrived on the westbound train, having hired a motorcar taxi to bring them from the station. The others are expected tomorrow.
Dobbin pulls to a halt. The blind driver eases himself down from his seat and fumbles for your luggage. You grab it yourself and lead the way into the chalet. His name, you discover, is Fritz, and he's the innkeeper as well. The sightless man manages the entire inn with the assistance of one woman, his cousin, Bertha.
"It's not so bad," he says as he slips behind the desk and pushes the guest register your way. "Our guests are few. Mr. Ian Masque." He says the name with a shiver in his voice. "He provides most of our business." Fritz points out the window towards a craggy peak. "When people are coming and going to his chateau on the mountain."
This you know. In fact, it's the reason you're all here, arriving from the four corners of Europe. Ian Masque, the mysterious millionaire, the builder and owner of that fantastical chateau perched on an alpine ledge, has invited an assortment of guests to this remote corner of Switzerland to stay in his architectural masterpiece and usher in the new year. An assortment of guests plus you, a private investigator hired by mail, with no job but to mingle and remain alert and careful. What a way to celebrate New Year's Eve!
You sign the register and eye today's date at the top of the page. December 30, 1938.
A gentle dusting of snow falls through the dusky twilight, but the inn's main lounge is bright and cozy. Two of the guests sit by a corner window, chatting in hushed tones. Although the innkeeper's cousin is a sour, unpleasant woman, she's observant and loves to gossip. From Bertha's description, the man in the corner must be Calvin Fox, an American cabaret performer now living in Vienna. The woman so deeply in conversation with him is Marina Popov, a beautiful Russian expatriate who doesn't tip and seems captivated by the "black arts."
"She hypnotizes people and she knows things," Bertha told you, crossing herself like a good Catholic.
"Communicating with the dead is a sense, like smell." Marina is speaking English. "Their spirits speaks to your spirit. Perhaps you have such skills yourself. Would you like me to hypnotize you, Mr. Fox?"
"No, thanks," Fox chuckles. He's a large, ordinary looking man with a nervous tick that now and then twitches his left eye. "Are you a friend of Masque's? Is that why he invited you to his New Year's bash?"
"I've never met him," Marina replies. "An invitation arrived by post.
The vibrations were fascinating. And of course I've heard rumors about his extraordinary chateau. I'm not sure any of us knows our host personally."
"I've met him," a voice calls out.
Striding into the room is a cheerful gentleman with an impressive mustache and Vandyke beard. This must be Martin Urfe, an English aristocrat (according to Bertha). You take this opportunity to join the group and introduce yourself.
"I met Ian Masque at a party in London," claims Urfe. "Like you, Mr. Fox, I'm an entertainer, albeit an amateur." A closer examination of Urfe's clothing reveals a certain shabbiness. Stylish but frayed. "My passion is magic," he continues. "Masque saw me perform a few illusions for friends and immediately asked for my card. I'm afraid this is going to be a working party for me. My invitation came with a request to provide the New Year's Eve diversion."
"Mine, too," Fox laughs. "I tell you what, Urfe. You do us a magic trick and I'll sing you a song. It'll do us both good to practice."
It's all quickly arranged. Five minutes later and you're gathered in the library. Even Bertha and the blind Fritz are seated and ready to be entertained. Urfe wheels on a large box decorated with stars and moons, and begins his patter by asking for a volunteer. Fox jumps up, eager to help.
You've seen this trick before. Everyone has. The volunteer is placed inside and the lid is closed. Swords are stabbed through from every angle, their sharp tips emerging from the opposite sides. The box is then spun around again and opened with a flourish. And the volunteer has vanished.
You applaud and yell bravo. Then you watch as it's done in reverse. Swords are removed. The box is spun again. Urfe, you have to admit, has a nice dramatic flair. He swings the lid open and gestures for his volunteer to emerge. And this is where the trick is different.
Fox is still gone. The box is empty.
It takes everyone a full minute to realize that the magician is more baffled than anyone else. Martin Urfe checks the box's secret door, then checks behind the screen where everyone assumed Fox had been hiding. When he pulls the screen aside, you see that the cabaret artist has disappeared.
"Fox!" Urfe is shouting between clenched teeth. "Thank you for ruining the illusion. Fox, where are you?"
It must be a joke, of course. You wander through the inn's shadowy rooms, calling the missing man's name, but he doesn't answer. He's not in his room, not in any of the public rooms and you haven't a clue how he could have dematerialized without anyone catching a glimpse.
The good humor of the evening fades and a pall of unease, perhaps even dread settles over the small group. "He's still alive," whispers Marina Popov, her eyes closed in meditation. "Nearby. But I can't see where."
Your job, it seems, has already started. This is definitely something that needs to be observed by a trained investigator. You make another tour of the inn, then go outside and circle the perimeter. The thin crust of icy snow surrounding the building has not been disturbed.
"He's obviously still in the chalet," you inform the others. "Tomorrow we'll search again. It'll be easier in the daylight." Then you climb the creaky stairs and retire to your room on the third floor.
That night, December 30, the penultimate night of 1938, you sleep fitfully. A chorus of metallic clanks and ghostly moans seem to seep up through the vents. You tell yourself it must be the old chalet, groaning in the cold, its ancient boiler straining to provide heat. These tortured sounds are perfectly natural.
But you know, deep down, they're not.
Now it is time to proceed to The Inn at Death's Door - Chapter 2.
x
The Inn at Death's Door - Chapter 1
You are in an open carriage, on your way from the airfield at Zurich. A vista opens up before you and there it is, nestled in the woods just ahead - the alpine inn where you'll be spending the
night. It resembles a Swiss chalet, which is not surprising. You are, after all, in Switzerland, traveling on a rocky road that meanders within sight of the Rhine River in the frozen valley below.But this is no chalet of fairy tale imaginings. The white of the gingerbread porches is the color of soot. The windows stare out like blackened eyes. And as the driver clicks his tongue and the horse pulls you onto an icy wooden bridge spanning a deep ravine, you realize something curious and unsettling. The driver is blind.
"Dobbin knows the way," he says, perhaps sensing your concern. You scold yourself for not having noticed this sooner. You are a private investigator, being paid to do nothing more than keep your eyes and ears open. This is not a good start.
You're the fifth guest to arrive, he tells you. A British officer, Colonel Mustard, showed up this morning feeling a little under the weather and taking his meals in his room. Three more arrived on the westbound train, having hired a motorcar taxi to bring them from the station. The others are expected tomorrow.
Dobbin pulls to a halt. The blind driver eases himself down from his seat and fumbles for your luggage. You grab it yourself and lead the way into the chalet. His name, you discover, is Fritz, and he's the innkeeper as well. The sightless man manages the entire inn with the assistance of one woman, his cousin, Bertha.
"It's not so bad," he says as he slips behind the desk and pushes the guest register your way. "Our guests are few. Mr. Ian Masque." He says the name with a shiver in his voice. "He provides most of our business." Fritz points out the window towards a craggy peak. "When people are coming and going to his chateau on the mountain."
This you know. In fact, it's the reason you're all here, arriving from the four corners of Europe. Ian Masque, the mysterious millionaire, the builder and owner of that fantastical chateau perched on an alpine ledge, has invited an assortment of guests to this remote corner of Switzerland to stay in his architectural masterpiece and usher in the new year. An assortment of guests plus you, a private investigator hired by mail, with no job but to mingle and remain alert and careful. What a way to celebrate New Year's Eve!
You sign the register and eye today's date at the top of the page. December 30, 1938.
A gentle dusting of snow falls through the dusky twilight, but the inn's main lounge is bright and cozy. Two of the guests sit by a corner window, chatting in hushed tones. Although the innkeeper's cousin is a sour, unpleasant woman, she's observant and loves to gossip. From Bertha's description, the man in the corner must be Calvin Fox, an American cabaret performer now living in Vienna. The woman so deeply in conversation with him is Marina Popov, a beautiful Russian expatriate who doesn't tip and seems captivated by the "black arts.""She hypnotizes people and she knows things," Bertha told you, crossing herself like a good Catholic.
"Communicating with the dead is a sense, like smell." Marina is speaking English. "Their spirits speaks to your spirit. Perhaps you have such skills yourself. Would you like me to hypnotize you, Mr. Fox?"
"No, thanks," Fox chuckles. He's a large, ordinary looking man with a nervous tick that now and then twitches his left eye. "Are you a friend of Masque's? Is that why he invited you to his New Year's bash?"
"I've never met him," Marina replies. "An invitation arrived by post.
The vibrations were fascinating. And of course I've heard rumors about his extraordinary chateau. I'm not sure any of us knows our host personally."
"I've met him," a voice calls out.
Striding into the room is a cheerful gentleman with an impressive mustache and Vandyke beard. This must be Martin Urfe, an English aristocrat (according to Bertha). You take this opportunity to join the group and introduce yourself.
"I met Ian Masque at a party in London," claims Urfe. "Like you, Mr. Fox, I'm an entertainer, albeit an amateur." A closer examination of Urfe's clothing reveals a certain shabbiness. Stylish but frayed. "My passion is magic," he continues. "Masque saw me perform a few illusions for friends and immediately asked for my card. I'm afraid this is going to be a working party for me. My invitation came with a request to provide the New Year's Eve diversion."
"Mine, too," Fox laughs. "I tell you what, Urfe. You do us a magic trick and I'll sing you a song. It'll do us both good to practice."
It's all quickly arranged. Five minutes later and you're gathered in the library. Even Bertha and the blind Fritz are seated and ready to be entertained. Urfe wheels on a large box decorated with stars and moons, and begins his patter by asking for a volunteer. Fox jumps up, eager to help.
You've seen this trick before. Everyone has. The volunteer is placed inside and the lid is closed. Swords are stabbed through from every angle, their sharp tips emerging from the opposite sides. The box is then spun around again and opened with a flourish. And the volunteer has vanished.
You applaud and yell bravo. Then you watch as it's done in reverse. Swords are removed. The box is spun again. Urfe, you have to admit, has a nice dramatic flair. He swings the lid open and gestures for his volunteer to emerge. And this is where the trick is different.Fox is still gone. The box is empty.
It takes everyone a full minute to realize that the magician is more baffled than anyone else. Martin Urfe checks the box's secret door, then checks behind the screen where everyone assumed Fox had been hiding. When he pulls the screen aside, you see that the cabaret artist has disappeared.
"Fox!" Urfe is shouting between clenched teeth. "Thank you for ruining the illusion. Fox, where are you?"
It must be a joke, of course. You wander through the inn's shadowy rooms, calling the missing man's name, but he doesn't answer. He's not in his room, not in any of the public rooms and you haven't a clue how he could have dematerialized without anyone catching a glimpse.
The good humor of the evening fades and a pall of unease, perhaps even dread settles over the small group. "He's still alive," whispers Marina Popov, her eyes closed in meditation. "Nearby. But I can't see where."
Your job, it seems, has already started. This is definitely something that needs to be observed by a trained investigator. You make another tour of the inn, then go outside and circle the perimeter. The thin crust of icy snow surrounding the building has not been disturbed.
"He's obviously still in the chalet," you inform the others. "Tomorrow we'll search again. It'll be easier in the daylight." Then you climb the creaky stairs and retire to your room on the third floor.That night, December 30, the penultimate night of 1938, you sleep fitfully. A chorus of metallic clanks and ghostly moans seem to seep up through the vents. You tell yourself it must be the old chalet, groaning in the cold, its ancient boiler straining to provide heat. These tortured sounds are perfectly natural.
But you know, deep down, they're not.
Now it is time to proceed to The Inn at Death's Door - Chapter 2.
x
The 2009 Stella Awards
It's time again for the annual 'Stella Awards'!
For those unfamiliar with these awards, they are named after 81-year-old Stella Liebeck who spilled hot coffee on herself and successfully sued the McDonald's in New Mexico , where she purchased coffee... You remember, she took the lid off the coffee and put it between her knees while she was driving. Who would ever think one could get burned doing that, right? That' s right; these are awards for the most outlandish lawsuits and verdicts in the U.S. You know, the kinds of cases that make you scratch your head. So keep your head scratcher handy.
Here are the Stellas for the past year:
* SEVENTH PLACE *
Kathleen Robertson of Austin, Texas was awarded $80,000 by a jury of her peers after breaking her ankle tripping over a toddler who was running inside a furniture store. The store owners were understandably surprised by the verdict, considering the running toddler was her own son.
Start scratching!
* SIXTH PLACE *
Carl Truman, 19, of Los Angeles, California won $74,000 plus medical expenses when his neighbor ran over his hand with a Honda Accord. Truman apparently didn't notice there was someone at the wheel of the car when he was trying to steal his neighbor's hubcaps.
Scratch some more....
* FIFTH PLACE *
Terrence Dickson, of Bristol, Pennsylvania, who was leaving a house he had just burglarized by way of the garage. Unfortunately for Dickson, the automatic garage door opener malfunctioned and he could not get the garage door to open. Worse, he couldn't re-enter the house because the door connecting the garage to the house locked when Dickson pulled it shut. Forced to sit for eight, count 'em, EIGHT days and survive on a case of Pepsi and a large bag of dry dog food, he sued the homeowner's insurance company claiming undue mental Anguish. Amazingly, the jury said the insurance company must pay Dickson $500,000 for his anguish. We should all have this kind of anguish. Keep scratching. There are more...
Double hand scratching after this one...
* FOURTH PLACE *
Jerry Williams, of Little Rock, Arkansas, garnered 4th Place in the Stella's when he was awarded $14,500 plus medical expenses after being bitten on the butt by his next door neighbor's beagle - even though the beagle was on a chain in its owner's fenced yard.. Williams did not get as much as he asked for because the jury believed the beagle might have been provoked at the time of the butt bite because Williams had climbed over the fence into the yard and repeatedly shot the dog with a pellet gun.
Pick a new spot to scratch, you're getting a bald spot..
* THIRD PLACE *
Amber Carson of Lancaster, Pennsylvania because a jury ordered a Philadelphia restaurant to pay her $113,500 after she slipped on a spilled soft drink and broke her tail bone. The reason the soft drink was on the floor: Ms. Carson had thrown it at her boyfriend 30 seconds earlier during an argument. What ever happened to people being responsible for their own actions?
Only two more so ease up on the scratching....
* SECOND PLACE *
Kara Walton, of Claymont, Delaware sued the owner of a night club in a nearby city because she fell from the bathroom window to the floor, knocking out her two front teeth. Even though Ms. Walton was trying to sneak through the ladies room window to avoid paying the $3.50 cover charge, the jury said the night club had to pay her $12,000.....oh, yeah, plus dental expenses. Go figure.
Ok. Here we go!!
* FIRST PLACE *
This year's runaway First Place Stella Award winner was: Mrs. Merv Grazinski, of Oklahoma City , Oklahoma , who purchased new 32-foot Winnebago motor home. On her first trip home, from an OU football game, having driven on to the freeway, she set the cruise control at 70 mph and calmly left the driver's seat to go to the back of the Winnebago to make herself a sandwich. Not surprisingly, the motor home left the freeway, crashed and overturned. Also not surprisingly, Mrs. Grazinski sued Winnebago for not putting in the owner's manual that she couldn't actually leave the driver's seat while the cruise control was set. The Oklahoma jury awarded her, are you sitting down?
...$1,750,000 PLUS a new motor home. Winnebago actually changed their manuals as a result of this suit, just in case Mrs. Grazinski has any relatives who might also buy a motor home.
Monday 22 February 2010
Word Game available for Download
Not so easy, but it's addictive! And it will expand your vocabulary.
The game has 5,000 words, so there should be enough to keep you scratching your head - and learning - for months.
It's easy to download and it's only a small file (6MB).
Click HERE to download.
Sunday 21 February 2010
Writing Style Guide - Part One - Active & Passive
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Active & Passive
At its heart, news is about people doing things. Activity is interesting. Where you can, write sentences with subjects that are doing things, and not subjects that are simply receiving actions upon them.
Compare these two sentences:
Don’t be put off, it’s really very simple.
Active voice: A does B.
Passive voice: B is done (usually by A).
The active voice will help give your scripts some vitality and life. It can also make a weak sentence more emphatic and give it greater impact.
Compare these examples. The first is in the passive, the second active:
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Active & Passive
At its heart, news is about people doing things. Activity is interesting. Where you can, write sentences with subjects that are doing things, and not subjects that are simply receiving actions upon them.
Compare these two sentences:
- A meeting will be held by the company’s directors next week.
- The company’s directors will meet next week.
Don’t be put off, it’s really very simple.
Active voice: A does B.
Passive voice: B is done (usually by A).
The active voice will help give your scripts some vitality and life. It can also make a weak sentence more emphatic and give it greater impact.
Compare these examples. The first is in the passive, the second active:
- There were riots in several towns in Northern England last night, in which police clashed with stone-throwing youths.
- Youths throwing stones clashed with police during riots in several towns in Northern England last night.
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DOING BUSINESS IN ASIA Part 2: JAPAN
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A “poker face” is of great use in Japan. The Japanese dislike strong public displays of emotion. If you show shock or anger during business negotiations, they will believe that you lack self-control and are questionable as a business partner.
The Japanese negotiate in groups, usually in a team containing executives of different age
ranges. Your team should have at least one senior member, and everyone must be sure to treat him with deference.
The younger members of your team should generally remain quiet and defer to their seniors during the meetings. Their real job will be to go out drinking with the Japanese team’s young executives at night. The Japanese like to convey important information (e.g., “Our boss was very angry at your offer today”) via junior executives.
It is useful to get Japanese executives away from their home base. In Japan, they can wait you out, hoping that you will agree to a disadvantageous deal because you are anxious to go home. The Japanese often agree to hold negotiations at a midway point. For example, when negotiating with North Americans, the Japanese often agree to hold meetings in Hawaii.
Hard-sell techniques will fail in Japan. Instead, find the points on which you and your Japanese counterparts agree, then build upon those. A positive, persuasive presentation works better with the Japanese than does a high-pressure, confrontational approach.
The Japanese may ask international visitors many questions— including information about
your job, your title, your age, your responsibilities, the number of employees that report to you, etc. Japanese is a complex language with many forms of address and honorifics. They need a lot of information in order to decide which form to use when speaking to you. (Most of this subtlety will be lost when translated into English, but it is important to the Japanese.)
Have you had any experiences of meeting Japanese people? DOes any of the advice above apply to everyday interaction with them?
COMMENTS below.
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A “poker face” is of great use in Japan. The Japanese dislike strong public displays of emotion. If you show shock or anger during business negotiations, they will believe that you lack self-control and are questionable as a business partner.
The Japanese negotiate in groups, usually in a team containing executives of different age
ranges. Your team should have at least one senior member, and everyone must be sure to treat him with deference.The younger members of your team should generally remain quiet and defer to their seniors during the meetings. Their real job will be to go out drinking with the Japanese team’s young executives at night. The Japanese like to convey important information (e.g., “Our boss was very angry at your offer today”) via junior executives.
It is useful to get Japanese executives away from their home base. In Japan, they can wait you out, hoping that you will agree to a disadvantageous deal because you are anxious to go home. The Japanese often agree to hold negotiations at a midway point. For example, when negotiating with North Americans, the Japanese often agree to hold meetings in Hawaii.
Hard-sell techniques will fail in Japan. Instead, find the points on which you and your Japanese counterparts agree, then build upon those. A positive, persuasive presentation works better with the Japanese than does a high-pressure, confrontational approach.
The Japanese may ask international visitors many questions— including information about
your job, your title, your age, your responsibilities, the number of employees that report to you, etc. Japanese is a complex language with many forms of address and honorifics. They need a lot of information in order to decide which form to use when speaking to you. (Most of this subtlety will be lost when translated into English, but it is important to the Japanese.)Have you had any experiences of meeting Japanese people? DOes any of the advice above apply to everyday interaction with them?
COMMENTS below.
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Branding Failures
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The Greatest Branding Failures Of All Time
Culture Failures
Brands operate on a global scale. Brand names such as Nike, Coca-Cola, McDonald’s, Gillette, Adidas, Disney, Marlboro, Sony, Budweiser, Microsoft and Pepsi are now recognized across the world. The dismantling of trade barriers, combined with the rise of global communications technologies such as the Internet, has meant that companies can expand into new markets faster than ever before.
However, many companies have confused the era of globalization with an era of homogenization. If they have had success with one product in one market they have assumed they can have equal success in another. All they believe they have to do is set up a Web site in the relevant language, run an ad campaign and set up a similar distribution network. What they forget to understand is that there is more to a country than its language, currency or gross domestic product. The cultural differences between, and often within, countries can greatly affect the chances of success for a brand.
In order to succeed, brands must cater for the specific tastes of each market they enter. If these tastes change, then the brand must change also. As the bumpy ride experienced by Kellogg’s in India (the first example included in this chapter) indicates, companies which fail to accommodate and acknowledge these vast cultural differences face a long battle in replicating their success at home in other markets.
However, understanding cultural differences is not just about international markets. It is also about understanding the specific culture of the brand. When companies acquire a brand that wasn’t theirs to begin with, they can often make similar faux pas as when they move into a foreign market. However, instead of making the mistake of misinterpreting the market they misinterpret the brand. This happened when CBS acquired the guitar company Fender and when Quaker Oats bought the soft drink Snapple. Although the companies spent millions on marketing, they lost market share as they didn’t understand exactly where the market was, and what the customer wanted. As a result, in both cases, the acquisition weakened the brand.
1. Pepsi in Taiwan
In order to keep a singular identity throughout the world, many companies stick with the same marketing campaign and brand message in every country. However, this occasionally creates difficulties. For instance, in Taiwan Pepsi’s advertising slogan ‘Come alive with the Pepsi generation’ was translated as ‘Pepsi will bring your ancestors back from the dead.’
2. Schweppes Tonic Water in Italy
In Italy, a promotional campaign for Schweppes Tonic Water failed when the product name was translated as ‘Schweppes Toilet Water’. Subsequent campaigns have had better results.
3. Chevy Nova and others
Of all products, cars have had the most translation problems. When people chuckled at General Motors’ Chevy Nova in Latin America, the automotive giant was perplexed. Until, that is, someone pointed out that ‘Nova’ means ‘It doesn’t go’ in Spanish. Then there was the Mitsubishi Pajero sport utility that caused embarrassment in Spain, where ‘pajero’ is slang for ‘masturbator’. Toyota’s Fiera car proved controversial in Puerto Rico, where ‘fiera’ translates to ‘ugly old woman’. Likewise few Germans were enthusiastic about owning Rolls-Royce’s ‘Silver Animal Droppings’ car. To the English speaking world it bears the more romantic name ‘Silver Mist’. And finally, Ford didn’t have the reception they expected in Brazil when their ‘Pinto’ car flopped. Then they discovered that in Brazilian Portuguese slang, ‘pinto’ means ‘small penis’.
4. Electrolux in the United States
Scandinavian vacuum manufacturer Electrolux raised a few eyebrows in the United States when it came up with the slogan ‘Nothing sucks like an Electrolux’. It later reworked its strap line.
5. Gerber in Africa
When baby food manufacturer Gerber started to sell its products in Africa it used the same packaging as for Western markets. This packaging included a picture of a baby boy on the label. Surprised at low sales, Gerber discovered that in Africa, as most customers can’t read English, Western companies generally put pictures on the label of what’s inside.
6. Coors in Spain
Coors beer had equally bad luck in Spain with its ‘Turn it loose’ slogan. It translated as ‘You will suffer from diarrhoea’.
7. Frank Perdue’s chicken in Spain
Sticking with Spain, US food brand Frank Perdue’s chicken campaign created confusion with the strap line ‘It takes a strong man to make a tender chicken.’ In Spain this became ‘It takes an aroused man to make a chicken affectionate.’
8. Clairol’s Mist Stick in Germany
When Clairol launched its ‘Mist Stick’ curling iron in Germany, the company apparently had no idea that ‘Mist’ was a slang term for manure. The company discovered that few women were crying out for a manure stick.
9. Parker Pens in Mexico
Parker Pens alarmed its Mexican market with ads intended to read ‘It won’t leak in your pocket and embarrass you’ because, in fact, the ad stated ‘It won’t leak in your pocket and impregnate you.’ The company had managed to confuse ‘embarrass’ with the Spanish verb ‘embrazar’ or ‘to impregnate’.
10. American Airlines in Mexico
When American Airlines decided to advertise the luxurious aspect of flying business class to their Mexican customers, they thought it would make sense to focus on the leather seats. They therefore used the slogan ‘fly in leather’ which, in Spanish, read ‘Vuelo en Cuero’. What the Spanish dictionary had neglected to inform them was that the phrase ‘en cuero’ is a slang term for ‘in the nude’. It soon emerged that there was little demand for mile-high naturism among Mexico’s business flyers.
11. Vicks in Germany
Vapour-rub manufacturer Vicks failed to attract much custom for its products in Germany. The problem was that ‘V’ is pronounced as an ‘F’ in German, meaning Vicks sounds like the German equivalent of the ‘f’ word.
12. Kentucky Fried Chicken in Hong Kong
KFC’s ‘finger lickin’ good’ slogan is used the world over to highlight the tastiness of the product. However, when the phrase was translated into Chinese for the Hong Kong market, it came out as ‘eat your fingers off’. Needless to say, most customers opted for the fries instead.
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The Greatest Branding Failures Of All Time
Culture Failures
Brands operate on a global scale. Brand names such as Nike, Coca-Cola, McDonald’s, Gillette, Adidas, Disney, Marlboro, Sony, Budweiser, Microsoft and Pepsi are now recognized across the world. The dismantling of trade barriers, combined with the rise of global communications technologies such as the Internet, has meant that companies can expand into new markets faster than ever before.
However, many companies have confused the era of globalization with an era of homogenization. If they have had success with one product in one market they have assumed they can have equal success in another. All they believe they have to do is set up a Web site in the relevant language, run an ad campaign and set up a similar distribution network. What they forget to understand is that there is more to a country than its language, currency or gross domestic product. The cultural differences between, and often within, countries can greatly affect the chances of success for a brand.
In order to succeed, brands must cater for the specific tastes of each market they enter. If these tastes change, then the brand must change also. As the bumpy ride experienced by Kellogg’s in India (the first example included in this chapter) indicates, companies which fail to accommodate and acknowledge these vast cultural differences face a long battle in replicating their success at home in other markets.
However, understanding cultural differences is not just about international markets. It is also about understanding the specific culture of the brand. When companies acquire a brand that wasn’t theirs to begin with, they can often make similar faux pas as when they move into a foreign market. However, instead of making the mistake of misinterpreting the market they misinterpret the brand. This happened when CBS acquired the guitar company Fender and when Quaker Oats bought the soft drink Snapple. Although the companies spent millions on marketing, they lost market share as they didn’t understand exactly where the market was, and what the customer wanted. As a result, in both cases, the acquisition weakened the brand.
1. Pepsi in TaiwanIn order to keep a singular identity throughout the world, many companies stick with the same marketing campaign and brand message in every country. However, this occasionally creates difficulties. For instance, in Taiwan Pepsi’s advertising slogan ‘Come alive with the Pepsi generation’ was translated as ‘Pepsi will bring your ancestors back from the dead.’
2. Schweppes Tonic Water in ItalyIn Italy, a promotional campaign for Schweppes Tonic Water failed when the product name was translated as ‘Schweppes Toilet Water’. Subsequent campaigns have had better results.
3. Chevy Nova and othersOf all products, cars have had the most translation problems. When people chuckled at General Motors’ Chevy Nova in Latin America, the automotive giant was perplexed. Until, that is, someone pointed out that ‘Nova’ means ‘It doesn’t go’ in Spanish. Then there was the Mitsubishi Pajero sport utility that caused embarrassment in Spain, where ‘pajero’ is slang for ‘masturbator’. Toyota’s Fiera car proved controversial in Puerto Rico, where ‘fiera’ translates to ‘ugly old woman’. Likewise few Germans were enthusiastic about owning Rolls-Royce’s ‘Silver Animal Droppings’ car. To the English speaking world it bears the more romantic name ‘Silver Mist’. And finally, Ford didn’t have the reception they expected in Brazil when their ‘Pinto’ car flopped. Then they discovered that in Brazilian Portuguese slang, ‘pinto’ means ‘small penis’.
4. Electrolux in the United StatesScandinavian vacuum manufacturer Electrolux raised a few eyebrows in the United States when it came up with the slogan ‘Nothing sucks like an Electrolux’. It later reworked its strap line.
5. Gerber in AfricaWhen baby food manufacturer Gerber started to sell its products in Africa it used the same packaging as for Western markets. This packaging included a picture of a baby boy on the label. Surprised at low sales, Gerber discovered that in Africa, as most customers can’t read English, Western companies generally put pictures on the label of what’s inside.
6. Coors in SpainCoors beer had equally bad luck in Spain with its ‘Turn it loose’ slogan. It translated as ‘You will suffer from diarrhoea’.
7. Frank Perdue’s chicken in SpainSticking with Spain, US food brand Frank Perdue’s chicken campaign created confusion with the strap line ‘It takes a strong man to make a tender chicken.’ In Spain this became ‘It takes an aroused man to make a chicken affectionate.’
8. Clairol’s Mist Stick in GermanyWhen Clairol launched its ‘Mist Stick’ curling iron in Germany, the company apparently had no idea that ‘Mist’ was a slang term for manure. The company discovered that few women were crying out for a manure stick.
9. Parker Pens in MexicoParker Pens alarmed its Mexican market with ads intended to read ‘It won’t leak in your pocket and embarrass you’ because, in fact, the ad stated ‘It won’t leak in your pocket and impregnate you.’ The company had managed to confuse ‘embarrass’ with the Spanish verb ‘embrazar’ or ‘to impregnate’.
10. American Airlines in MexicoWhen American Airlines decided to advertise the luxurious aspect of flying business class to their Mexican customers, they thought it would make sense to focus on the leather seats. They therefore used the slogan ‘fly in leather’ which, in Spanish, read ‘Vuelo en Cuero’. What the Spanish dictionary had neglected to inform them was that the phrase ‘en cuero’ is a slang term for ‘in the nude’. It soon emerged that there was little demand for mile-high naturism among Mexico’s business flyers.
11. Vicks in GermanyVapour-rub manufacturer Vicks failed to attract much custom for its products in Germany. The problem was that ‘V’ is pronounced as an ‘F’ in German, meaning Vicks sounds like the German equivalent of the ‘f’ word.
12. Kentucky Fried Chicken in Hong KongKFC’s ‘finger lickin’ good’ slogan is used the world over to highlight the tastiness of the product. However, when the phrase was translated into Chinese for the Hong Kong market, it came out as ‘eat your fingers off’. Needless to say, most customers opted for the fries instead.
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LATERAL THINKING ON MARS
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This was astronaut Jose Perez's fourth visit to Mars and he had learned to speak Martian. He wanted to find his Martian friend Doman, but in order to locate him he had to know what group Doman belonged to.
The three groups in the area were: Uti, Yomi, and Grundi.
The Uti always told the truth.
The Yomi always lied.
The Grundi sometimes told the truth but sometimes lied.
Perez needed information. Three Martians, Aken, Bal and Cwos, each of whom belonged to a different group, agreed to help him. He asked each one of them two questions:
What group do you belong to?
What group does Doman belong to?
1. Aken said: I am not a Uti. Doman is a Yomi.
2. Bal said: I am not a Yomi. Doman is a Grundi.
3. Cwos said: I am not a Grundi. Doman is a Uti.
What group does Doman belong to?
ERROR IDENTIFICATION #1
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What's the wrong with each of the sentences below?
The answers are in the COMMENTS below. Be sure to try to find your own answers before looking at mine!
- This large goat is only living in the mountains of Switzerland.
- I call to thank you for the present you sent.
- John is resembling his older sister.
- The rise in demand for timber destroys large areas of rainforest.
- I work at the University for over ten years now.
- When have you got here?
- Have you read a book called Accountancy Is Fun? 'Who has written it?'
- Charles is a gifted footballer, but up to now he didn't play well in international matches.
- We've seen Jean in town the other day.
- Have you ever been to the opera when you lived in Milan?
- I was meeting a lot of interesting people while I was working in Norway.
- Being in large crowds was always making her feel nervous.
- How long are you wearing glasses?
- We've been staying with Paul and Jenny until last weekend.
- That's twice I've been forgetting to bring my diary to work this week.
- I've never been listening to any of Plop's music before.
- The new bridge had been opened six months ago.
- He just heard the news and was rushing home to tell his family.
- When I saw the vase, I knew it was exactly what I had looked for.
- I had been knowing Helen for a number of years.
No cheating. Agonize a while before checking the answers!
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WB-ED Murder Mystery 2010: Prologue
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The Inn at Death's Door - Prologue
The Characters:
The Required Solutions:
1) Who killed Bertha Thurgau?
2) Who is on the yacht?
3) Where was Calvin Fox after his disappearance?
4) What clue revealed Fox's location?
Now it is time to read The Inn at Death's Door - Chapter 1.
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The Inn at Death's Door - Prologue
The Characters:
Fritz Thurgau
Frtitz Thurgau is the blind innkeeper at the mountain chalet where you and the other party guests are spending the night. A strict and remote man, Fritz manages the inn with only the help of his cousin, Bertha.
Bertha Thurgau
Bertha Thurgau
Bertha Thurgau is Fritz's cousin. A greedy and petty woman who notices everything and knows how to keep her secrets.
Calvin Fox
An American cabaret performer, now living and working in Vienna. A large, ordinary looking man with a nervous tick that occasional afflicts his left eye.
Mr. Green
Mr. Green lost his family fortune in the great crash and, from all reports, has been strugging to keep up appearances ever since. Though he looks and acts the aristocrat, rumor has it that he is desperate for something, anything to turn around his financial life.
Ian Masque
Little is known about Masque except that he owns the amazing chateau built atop the alpine mountain -- scene of this New Year's Eve party, 1938. He is rumored to be fabulously wealthy with an interest, and even a belief, in the supernatural.
Miss Scarlet
Scarlet had some kind of career acting, first in the West End, then to Hollywood. But apparently her chance at the big-time career slipped alway from her, and she is mostly known - if at all - for her work in a series of B-pictures. She is beautiful, but is she talented?
Marina Popov
Popov, a beautiful Russian expatriate, is a trained hypnotist. Popov participated in the Soviet Union's notorious experiments in ESP. It would take a mind reader to know why she is here at Masque's party.
Ms. Peacock
Mrs. Peacock left London after being involved in a messy romantic triangle with key political figures. Fleeing to America, the papers there reported on her affair with a businessman who was shot by his wife. Now she's back -- but is she just looking for more fun? .
Dr. Julia Kell
Kell is a German psychiatrist, one who obviously felt comfortable remaining in the Third Reich. Does she, in fact, work for the German government? There is no evidence that points to that yet. .
Colonel Mustard
Colonel Mustard held major commands in the First World War and, earlier, in Africa. His exemplary leadership was tainted with the accusations of profiteering that hit the tabloids at the end of the war. Rumor has it that any "profits" he stashes away have long since been consumed by his expensive lifestyle.
Martin Urfe
Martin Urfe is the heir to the busted Kent 'fortune' of Bloodworth Estates. He is also an accomplished amateur magician. Urge performs his elaborate (and impressive) illusions for his wealthy friends, including the host of the party -- Ian Masque.
Professor Plum
Professor Plum, formerly the Curator of the Egyptian Wing of the British Museum, published a series of articles in the Sunday London Times, which caused quite a stir. He claimed that there are major unexplained holes in the Egyptian historical record -- holes that he believes will be filled by major discoveries still to come.
Sabata
This single-named Spanish artist's hallucinogenic paintings are world famous. Ian Masque has acquired a lot of Sabata's most bizarre works. His behavior is eccentric, often even irrational -- as befits an artist.
Mrs. White
Mrs. White has had a long career as a nanny and maid, working for a number of high-profile families where discretion is valued almost as much as the necessary skills. Like most women who have worked at her craft, she has little, if anything, to show for it.
Calvin Fox
An American cabaret performer, now living and working in Vienna. A large, ordinary looking man with a nervous tick that occasional afflicts his left eye.
Mr. Green
Mr. Green lost his family fortune in the great crash and, from all reports, has been strugging to keep up appearances ever since. Though he looks and acts the aristocrat, rumor has it that he is desperate for something, anything to turn around his financial life.
Ian Masque
Little is known about Masque except that he owns the amazing chateau built atop the alpine mountain -- scene of this New Year's Eve party, 1938. He is rumored to be fabulously wealthy with an interest, and even a belief, in the supernatural.
Miss Scarlet
Scarlet had some kind of career acting, first in the West End, then to Hollywood. But apparently her chance at the big-time career slipped alway from her, and she is mostly known - if at all - for her work in a series of B-pictures. She is beautiful, but is she talented?
Marina Popov
Popov, a beautiful Russian expatriate, is a trained hypnotist. Popov participated in the Soviet Union's notorious experiments in ESP. It would take a mind reader to know why she is here at Masque's party.
Ms. Peacock
Mrs. Peacock left London after being involved in a messy romantic triangle with key political figures. Fleeing to America, the papers there reported on her affair with a businessman who was shot by his wife. Now she's back -- but is she just looking for more fun? .
Dr. Julia Kell
Kell is a German psychiatrist, one who obviously felt comfortable remaining in the Third Reich. Does she, in fact, work for the German government? There is no evidence that points to that yet. .
Colonel Mustard
Colonel Mustard held major commands in the First World War and, earlier, in Africa. His exemplary leadership was tainted with the accusations of profiteering that hit the tabloids at the end of the war. Rumor has it that any "profits" he stashes away have long since been consumed by his expensive lifestyle.
Martin Urfe
Martin Urfe is the heir to the busted Kent 'fortune' of Bloodworth Estates. He is also an accomplished amateur magician. Urge performs his elaborate (and impressive) illusions for his wealthy friends, including the host of the party -- Ian Masque.
Professor Plum
Professor Plum, formerly the Curator of the Egyptian Wing of the British Museum, published a series of articles in the Sunday London Times, which caused quite a stir. He claimed that there are major unexplained holes in the Egyptian historical record -- holes that he believes will be filled by major discoveries still to come.
Sabata
This single-named Spanish artist's hallucinogenic paintings are world famous. Ian Masque has acquired a lot of Sabata's most bizarre works. His behavior is eccentric, often even irrational -- as befits an artist.
Mrs. White
Mrs. White has had a long career as a nanny and maid, working for a number of high-profile families where discretion is valued almost as much as the necessary skills. Like most women who have worked at her craft, she has little, if anything, to show for it.
The Required Solutions:
1) Who killed Bertha Thurgau?
2) Who is on the yacht?
3) Where was Calvin Fox after his disappearance?
4) What clue revealed Fox's location?
Now it is time to read The Inn at Death's Door - Chapter 1.
x
WORD PUZZLE - LETTER FIT
INSTRUCTIONS: Place the words below into the puzzle grid above; each word only fits in one place.
3 Letters
Eye Gas Ink Kid Sea Ski
4 Letters
Cups Halt Iron Lamb Sell Tear
5 Letters
Based Drain Gases Heard Rests Still Their Units
7 Letters
Austria Leaders
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