Why do Disney movies have pronounciation guides on the movie posters?

Cafe Society
1

I saw a poster for the upcoming Disney film Beverly Hills Chihuahua as I was coming out of the most excellent Tropic Thunder the other day, and noted that on the poster (here on wikipedia) there’s a pronounciation guide in case you’ve got no idea how “Chihuahua” is pronounced. :dubious:

I noticed the same thing for the poster for Ratatouille, but brushed it off as your average viewer being uneducated enough not to pronounce the French word correctly.

Is this a new trend from Disney, and if so, why are they bothering? I could give “Ratatouille” a pass because it’s relatively obscure if you aren’t a foodie (or up on your French), but “Chihuahua”? Why on earth does that need a pronunciation guide on the movie poster?

2

Well, I once heard someone in a bar order a bottle of Cha-Hoo-Uh-Cha-Hoo-Uh beer, so perhaps the general public is not as educated as you think.

3

Chy Chy Rod Ruh Gwayze.

4

It may’ve really been necessary with Ratatioulle. With the new movie it’s more of a tag line. I’ve never heard anyone pronounce the breed “Chee-WOW-uh,” it’s usually more like “Chee-WAH-wah” or “Chi-WAW-uh.”