Japanese Stores Telling It Like It Is

Please note: the Motion Bloggers Association of America has deemed the following blog entry to be R-rated due to the use of improper (at least in America) language.

It's not just a sale. It's a Fuckin' Sale!

No. No. It's true. I kid you not. There are some marketing folks in Osaka that are finally telling it like it is. Their department store isn't just having a sale. They are having a "Fuckin' Sale."



Victoria's Secrets, Eat Your Heart Out

 Now I have to say as someone who has spent more than two decades in marketing, I find this really refreshing, even if it happens to be accidental.

Marketers have been trying to link satisfaction, wealth, attractiveness and sexual pleasure with their products since Ogilvy and Mather invented client double billing and the three martini lunch. The Japanese clearly said, "Hey, if we are trying to say this sale will equal a great sexual escapade then let's just go ahead and call it what it is!"

Or, maybe it played out like an episode of The Sopranos:

"Hey, Tony-san, you think maybe like we should have a discount of some kind?"

"Paulie-san, talk to me."

"You know, Tony-san, it's like a sale. Things are even cheaper for family. It's a sale."

"No, Pauli-san. It's not just a sale. It's a fuckin' sale."

"Fuggetaboutit."

Anyhow, I don't know how they arrived at it, but kudos to Japan.

But Seriously, Poor Me

If you haven't heard the wimpering an whining from your location, you may not be aware that I've been sick. When I catch a cold, my "man up" quotient goes to about 2%. I could be sitting in an emergency room next to a guy with a railroad spike embedded in his forehead and I'd be like, "I know that must hurt, but, seriously, I have the sniffles and my sinuses are really stuffy. Do you mind if I go in before you?"

Thankfully, my wife gave me a Kindle Fire for Christmas and thanks to Words with Friends, it is giving me something to do other than blow my nose. (By the way, Alec Baldwin, when you are going to friend me? We all know this is your game!) My 11-year-old son spanked me at Words with Friends and I'm strangely proud of that. While many men would wallow in the knowledge that they aren't as smart as a sixth grader, I choose to read this as a "my son is incredibly smart" moment. I mean that's the case, right? It's not that I couldn't pass sixth grade if I was enrolled in the class taught by my son's wonderful teacher whose name we still cannot pronounce. ("Hello Mrs. McKrackles...uh...McKringle...uh...oh, never mind.)

So, now that I'm back on the mend and feeling better. I think I will embrace life as the Japanese do. I'm not just going to take a bike ride this weekend. I'm going to take a Fuckin' Bike Ride. Would I like some fries with my burger? Hell no. I want some Fuckin' Fries with that! Bring it on, Tony-san!