Published : Sept. 6, 2012 - 13:31
(AFP)
McDonald’s ruined their attempt at attracting a small Asian community by placing a botched billboard in St. Paul, Minnesota, according to news reports.
The world’s second-largest food chain wrote the billboard in Hmong to appeal to the strong Hmong population in St. Paul. Hmongs are an ethnic group from the mountainous regions of Southeast Asia. Although the brand is famous for trying to tailor their products and services to locals, it messed up this time.
The sign read, “Yuavtxhawbpabraukojsawv yuavntxivzograukoj mus,” which was supposed to translate as “Coffee gets you up, breakfast gets you going.” However, the locals were not impressed by the pitch.
Thai Lee, a local doctor, said, “The text is wrong, missing key breaks in the language. As it stands right now, it doesn’t make sense at all.”
Bruce Thao, a doctoral candidate and St. Paul resident, added, “It sounds weird in Hmong because we don’t really talk like that.”
From news reports
(khnews@heraldcorp.com)