That Stomach can walk and Talk, but can it chew gum?
by Elizabeth Goodgold

So many contenders, so little time. The Nuancing® Group, San Diego, must have thought when mulling the possibilities of its first Duh! Marketing Awards, which are bestowed on those who’ve made the month’s mega marketing mistakes. Among February’s big winners:

Help! I’m trapped in homonym hell - Honorably awarded to Cingular, formerly Pacific Bell Wireless, for selecting a common word and intentionally misspelling it. And, for not emphasizing that it is spelled with a “c” throughout any of its marketing communication. Irate on-hold customers are verbally directed to its website, yet are typing in and visiting singular.com, an information technology provider. Or even worse, are misspelling it singulair.com and arriving at Merck’s new asthma medication!

I’m a Looza baby, now why don’t you buy me- Belgium imported Looza garnered the worst named product distinction. Apparently the company neglected to check out local culture before marketing it the pear nectar concoction to American consumers. Saying the name out loud is the verbal equivalent of placing one’s thumb and forefinger in an L configuration and holding it against the forehand, which translates to “loser” in any language.

Mascot/menudo of the month – The prizes goes to Prevacid, which thought a walking, talking stomach was a tasteful way of explaining acid and other gastrointestinal disorders. The Nuancing® Group indigestion. Runner up: Procter & Gamble’s go-go dancing tampon.

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