There’s one near here that is currently a martial arts dojo. Before that, it was a Chinese restaurant.
GEICO using “Build Me Up Buttercup” for their motorcycle insurance commercials. Are they saying that their customers feel let down?
And den what?
I don’t think that’s the message - I think the message is supposed to be for people who otherwise would have no idea they are eligible because their parent/grandparent was in the military ( although my understanding is that for a grandchild to be eligible, bother the parent and grandparent must have been members). Because the way the commercial presents it , it isn’t very exclusive at all. It’s like if my credit union advertised its membership requirements - you have to live, work , worship or attend school in NYC or work for NYS or the Federal government or be an immediate family member of a member. They certainly wouldn’t be advertising their exclusivity - but I’d bet you that no more than 50% of the people eligible know they are.
Perhaps I’m missing something, but do you really think Americans weren’t aware of the humorous implications of the word “Wang?”
But in this case the Brits and Aussies were sniggering because “Wang Cares” sounds like “wankers”, which adds an additional layer of humor.
I know a couple of companies have used Vehicle by the Ides of March, not realizing the full lyrics.
I was once working for a US company that was developing some software for a Japanese company. The Japanese company was working on their ad campaign and were using a woodpecker as a mascot. They had one ad with a slogan “Trust the Pecker!”. Someone on our side had to gently explain to them that “pecker” was not an acceptable shortening of “woodpecker” in English.
Well, there was that Corned Beef from Mott Canyon… I kinda was in love with it!
Let’s not talk about the Red Potato Salad with Bleu Cheese and Bacon.
There’s a pizza chain around here called Pizza Patron, and there logo looked similar to Pizza Huts red roof. https://www.bizjournals.com/sanantonio/news/2017/07/05/behind-the-deal-that-brought-pizza-patron-to-san.html
They’ve changed it to a guy in a red fedora now, but it doesn’t look as much like
Pizza Hut.
I didn’t realize this went on in Egypt, too, but knock-off fast food places are apparently quite common in Iran, were Pizza Hat and Mash Donald’s are apparently pretty big.
Do Mash Donalds come with ketchup?
Ah yes good old traditional Mexican pizza.
What, no Burger Shah?
It’s a song about a guy driving his (platonic) girlfriend everywhere. Sounds like a car commercial to me.
"Hey, well, I’m the friendly stranger in the black sedan
Oh, won’t you hop inside my car
I got pictures, got candy, I am a lovable man"
True, that is the historic meaning- that a guy was complaining he was used as nothing but a ride.
On the subject of ads using songs that are inappropriate when you actually listen to all the lyrics: Years ago there was an ad for some outdoorsy clothing company (maybe L.L. Bean?) that used the song “Big Rock Candy Mountain” and showed a family out hiking. If you actually listen to all the lyrics, it’s not a song about a fun camping trip. It’s a hobo’s idea of paradise, where cigarettes grow on trees and the streams flow with alcohol instead of water.
A number of politicians have ended up using songs completely opposed to what they thought they meant, too. The one that stands out is Reagan’s use of “Born in the USA”.
Or every song Trump has used for his campaigns (usually without permission or even asking before). “Rockin’ In The Free World”, really???
Trump also preempted the song The Snake (Al Wilson) before people could use it against him. The Theme song we all recognize from MASH is “Suicide is Painless” which always confused me.
Instacart used a song No diggity that was talking about something else to "bag it " besides groceries.