But this is a pretty blatant use of a curse word, and I have to wonder if there really is an innocence behind its use or if the company is just banking on using the shock tactic to reel consumers into its store. “F*****,” after all, doesn’t have many other meanings that I can think of.
It does bring to mind several other fun examples of the wrong words being used for ads and sales, though. I have seen dozens of these on Facebook, and they serve as good reminders that we need to be careful about word choices—and that not all phrases translate well into different languages. My own Spanish teacher used to illustrate this to us each year by reading a letter by a man named Domingo Fuentes, who translated his own letter into English word for word, including his own name—“Sunday Fountains.” For some funny signs around the world, click here. You can find out where to get “genuine fake watches,” as well as where “only 50 cents is enough to feel the magic atmosphere” of a public water closet!
There is also this wonderful collection of faux pas, including a doctor who considers himself a specialist in women and other diseases, a bar in which women are asked to not have children, and a restaurant that is open for more than seven days a week, which sounds like a Beatles song. This collection isn’t as visually striking—it’s text only—but many are funnier than the previous gallery.
And finally, for hours of funny sign enjoyment, click here for even more lists and galleries to browse through. If one of your New Year’s resolutions was to laugh more, this might be a good page to bookmark.