Chinglish ads: J. Walter Thompson Shanghai and ElaN launch print ads showing dangers of bad translation
J. Walter Thompson Shanghai and ElaN, a business translation service, launched print ads collecting snapshots of mistranslations across China to hilarious effects.
These Chinese-English, or 'Chinglish', mistranslations are everywhere in China, from tourist signs to menus and printed on T-shirts, proving amusing and confusing to English speakers.
Tortured translations such as “’Sixi roasted husband,’ anyone?” from menus to –“Racist park,” “Kiss and Ride” in road signs and finally, “F**ck the fruit area” in supermarkets.
The key message: Get it right.
“This is a real, tongue-in-cheek look into life in China. Many foreigners who have lived or travelled to China will be able to recount the irony and hilarity of ‘Chinglish,” said Carlos Camacho, executive creative director at J. Walter Thompson Shanghai. “It’s a unique cultural happening but also a brilliant interceptive opportunity.”
