Another dodgy product name… 7, March 2007
Posted by babychaos in Humour, Light Fluff, Play.Tags: Crap marketing, funny product names, marketing
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My Dad is a bit of a character. He often bangs on about how the planet Uranus suddenly became “Yuriness” after being pronounced “Your Anus” for years. “It’s not as if we didn’t know!” He says, talking about the way he and his class mates used to giggle smuttily about it at prep school. “It’s this bloody government! They’re all miserable dour Scotsmen with no sense of humour!* We’ve all got to be correct the whole time, we aren’t allowed have any fun any more!”
* apologies to all dour Scotsmen, I’m quoting my Dad.
Anyway, one of the things my Dad finds highly amusing is this particular pile cream and knowing how amused I am by smut of any description, he was swift to bring it to my attention… It’s pronounced An-yoo-sole but my Dad, who taught classics, tells me that since it has the word “anus” in it then when you break it down the correct way to pronounce it should be like a Cockney saying “Anus Hole” in other words “Anus ‘ole”.
Dad was introduced to Anusol while he was in hospital with a broken leg a couple of years back – he was in traction so he greeted any relief to the boredom with immense gratitude – and he is now a confirmed Anusol user, I suspect entirely on the grounds of its silly name.
“Imagine being the marketing person who thought that one up!” He told me, giggling gleefully . “Imagine how much they must have laughed when the name was approved and they realised none of the other stuck up prigs they were working with had realised what it really said!”
So Dad… and Mum, not that you’ll ever see this, because a blog like this has to be anonymous, none of my family know the address, let alone come here… anyway where was I… oh yes, so, parents, here, for you, I give you Anusol… box, tube and scary accoutrement.
Enjoy!
Tee hee, luv it, BC! (Titter, titter, smirk, smirk.)
It reminds me of that unfortunately named 4WD vehicle – the Mitsubishi Pajero – that produced unaccountably poor sales in Spain. Until someone pointed out that the word “Pajero” in Spanish slang translates as “wanker”. A sudden vacancy in Mitsubishi’s marketing department perhaps?
My favourite part was “accoutrement”.
Read quite a few entries of your blog yesterday, when I should have been working. What a wonderful way to waste time…Loved it! Humor, spunk, sensitivity, and intelligence. You’re a wonderful personality. Take care, and keep up the good work!
Geldoff… somehow I knew you would. Apparently the same problem cropped up for Mitsubishi in Brazil where it means, small penis. They renamed the car Cavero or summat… anyway it meant horse. Just horse of course, not penis of a horse!
Mark, I knew you or Geldoff would like that.
Anne, why thank you! I have returned the compliment!
Cheers y’all
BC
Oh dear! You’d think someone would Google those words before smacking them onto the back of a car!
I was a bit taken aback when my dr. prescribed a certain acid reflux med last year. I wasn’t sure what they were saying, exactly, until I read the prescription she handed me. I cringe every time I have to say it out loud.
Courtesy of the hateful Cannucks: Aciphex.
Reminds me of my first semester at the new high school in my advanced physics class (years ago). Guess who got assigned to do the oral presentation on the seventh planet from the sun! Talk about making an impression.
Ah, good times.
Ah yes, good old uuuurranus!
Cheers
BC