Author Topic: Why fight the wrong enemy?  (Read 6151 times)

Joe Carillo

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Why fight the wrong enemy?
« on: December 08, 2009, 08:31:59 PM »
Cha-yi of Makati City sent me the following photo early this evening with the message below it:[/i]


Dear Mr. Carillo,
 
I found this on the clothing rack of Bench at Cash and Carry Mall in Makati.
I can’t make sense of it, can you?

Here’s my open reply to Cha-yi:

I’m dumbfounded myself by the language of that promo label. There’s obviously something terribly wrong with its grammar and semantics, but I’m not making any comment at the moment. I think it would be very instructive if members of the Forum can send in their individual critiques so we can thoroughly discuss the problem.

What’s worse is that is that the promo label in question appears to be not just local to that supermarket where you saw it. My wife tells me that it’s also being used in several department stores and in the company’s other retail outlets. How could such a big blunder happen? 

Once the individual critiques by Forum members are in, I’ll prepare a consolidated critique that we can send to the clothing company. I’m sure the company would want to thresh out this matter with its advertising agency soonest.
« Last Edit: December 08, 2009, 09:28:41 PM by Joe Carillo »

tonybau

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Re: Why fight the wrong enemy?
« Reply #1 on: December 08, 2009, 10:10:38 PM »
Chayi,

I saw the same ad posted at SM in Baguio. Like you, I wondered what the point really was. It was easy to understand the 2nd part "...shop to save jobs" in view of the economic downturn. The first half of it is a puzzle. One can only surmise what that bright mind which concocted this and the other bright minds who approved it were thinking.  :'(

No answer from me here.

tonybau


vinzvonvan

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Re: Why fight the wrong enemy?
« Reply #2 on: December 09, 2009, 04:05:42 PM »
I wonder why the writer of this ad used CAUTION to save our economy. Maybe he doesn’t care about the meaning of this word or even its usage.If used as a noun it means alertness and prudence in a hazardous situation or a warning against danger or evil, while as a verb it means to give warning to (dictionary.com). Using the first meaning, maybe he wants people (those who can read the sign) to be alert about the economic situation.However, it’s contradicting the slogan “SAVE THE ECONOMY’ which in itself has a deeper meaning. If he used this as a pun, well, I think it’s not also correct.

For the second part FIGHT THE ECONOMY, maybe he means people have to struggle for economic survival. The word economy is a general term that can’t be used easily for a slogan like that.Or maybe he used a figure of speech?It’s hard to think of the correct word that will remake this sentence specially if the writer means another thing.Literally speaking, it’s not easy to fight the economy, and how will I fight an idea? This is not a good sentence but the second one is just fine.

hill roberts

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Re: Why fight the wrong enemy?
« Reply #3 on: December 21, 2009, 05:59:05 PM »
Signs and Slogans do have a way of catching our attention---precisely why these advertising people keep doing it because if it catches your attention, it WORKS! So, what does it mean? It's simply telling you and me to take advantage of the Sale which is probably on-going now in that shop and its outlets; it's telling you, the shopper to use their shop(s) to spend your money, hence, saving their jobs in the process;"caution" would perhaps mean "save" the country's economy lest this shop and its outlets go bust; and if we all "fight" to save the economy from "drowning", then, we, shoppers, should now go to them and, yes, spend, spend, spend our money where SALE is on-going. ;D ;D ;D ::)(another tongue-in-cheek from Cold Spain, brrrrrrrrrrrr.)Happy New Year!!

madgirl09

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Caution: Celebrate Christmas without firecrackers!
« Reply #4 on: December 21, 2009, 06:15:51 PM »
Hello Hill, Feliz Navidad! Meri Kurismasu Minnasan! Maligayang Pasko at Manigong Bagong Taon sa Inyong Lahat! Naimbag a Pascua Yo Amin! Merry Christmas to all friends and mentors here at Joe's Forum!  ;D ;D ;D

hill roberts

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Re: Why fight the wrong enemy?
« Reply #5 on: December 25, 2009, 04:48:38 AM »
Hello Madgirl, Feliz Navidad a ti y a tus familiares! Hope you have a wonderful Christmas celebration and may the new year be equally good or better. Have a sumptuous feast! Keep well and see you here at the Forum! :) :-*