Four-Letter Branding

March 17, 2003 9:04 AM

French Connection UK: what is the rag seller's corporate identity a "dyslexic" acronym for? The sober Boston Globe gets it, and takes the opportunity to consult ethicists on whether we should allow words in print just because people use them in real life.

Some readers objected to the ad's center spread, which featured FCUK in large letters, with the 'C' formed by an ocean wave. At least as many, maybe more, objected to a full-page photo of a young model in very short shorts, her legs apart, and ''Welcome to Fcukiki Beach'' written across her left thigh.

The real point is, who can afford to be choosy these days, with advertising still slumping? E&P's take from last summer still seems relevant.
posted by hairyeyeball (14 comments total)

Astroturfing leading the blind.
posted by the fire you left me at 9:09 AM on March 17, 2003

This has been commonplace on UK High Streets for four years or so. There is an 60ft 'Welcome to Fcukiki Beach' in Covent Garden for everyone to enjoy. I think the only people who really have a problem with it are the High Court Judges.
posted by catchmurray at 9:23 AM on March 17, 2003

It's clear to me that the French Connection's ideal ad was just a girl with short shorts, spread legs and "FCUK me on a beach" written across her thigh. They toned it down just enough to get it past the censors, but so we all still know what it says. "Welcome to Fcukiki Beach" - like that's any different.

Personally, I don't care if it's acceptable or not. I just hate the naive protesting that "it-doesn't-actually-say-what-it-says" defense.
posted by adzuki at 9:29 AM on March 17, 2003

i'm surprised how long this things has run for. "fcuk" isn't exactly hilarious - surely everyone's seen it by now. why aren't people bored of it? i guess it comes down to never underestimating the (adolescent? what's fcuk's target group?) public.
or maybe they're getting desperate - people are getting bored and the only thing they can up with is going more "extreme". didn't seem to work for benneton after a while...
posted by andrew cooke at 9:33 AM on March 17, 2003

Anyone find a scan of the ad?
posted by swank6 at 9:35 AM on March 17, 2003

adzuki: Not that it's exactly true in this case, but there is a great history of naive "it-doesn't-actually-say-what-it-says" defenses. Film in and around the 30s particularly used creative tricks in order to get across something without aggravating the censors. The genre of screwball comedy can be attributed almost completely to this as well as many general conventions of filmmaking at the time (such as panning up away from a kissing couple to suggest sex).

So while this may not be the cleverest example, some great things have been done in order to get across the meaning you want despite various social restraints.
posted by ODiV at 10:46 AM on March 17, 2003

The ad (I assume its the same as the one in the paper, although this picture is of a billboard).
posted by gatorae at 10:51 AM on March 17, 2003

Their advertising must work too as they're doing pretty well.
posted by ralawrence at 11:07 AM on March 17, 2003

Shouldn't it be Freedom Connection UK?
posted by FreezBoy at 11:26 AM on March 17, 2003

i'm surprised how long this things has run for. "fcuk" isn't exactly hilarious - surely everyone's seen it by now. why aren't people bored of it? i guess it comes down to never underestimating the (adolescent? what's fcuk's target group?) public.
or maybe they're getting desperate - people are getting bored and the only thing they can up with is going more "extreme". didn't seem to work for benneton after a while...

It's their brand now. People are used to it therefore have nothing to get bored with anymore than they get bored with the Nike tick thing. I don't think the poster's that suggestive. It's just a bikini ad and it's aimed at girls.
posted by Summer at 2:19 AM on March 18, 2003

I propose this company's "cleverness" as a quick litmus test of civility. If you don't find it offensive, and you're over the age of 16, you have a problem, and I probably would not like to speak or interact with you.
posted by ParisParamus at 2:33 AM on March 18, 2003

I looked at the billboard link.

So is "Maiden" a UK signage company, or do you folks just put extra effort into hidden significances?
posted by Opus Dark at 2:40 AM on March 18, 2003

Paris would not like to speak of interact with me. Damn. I'm not entirely sure I want to go on living.
posted by Summer at 3:50 AM on March 18, 2003

It's their brand now.
but the claim is that it's been used for its semantic (not really the right word - lexical?) content, not "just" as a brand sign.
i'm not offended either, just mildly irritated - it still fires some neuron when i see it which means i then have to go "oh, it's that". i guess that answers my question about why they still use it.
(people don't use "fuck" round here, much, so it still has some weight as a "bad" word; i can't imagine being immune to it until that emotional connection is lost).
hmm. horrible image of "finger quotes" while reading this on preview. i don't do that thing, honest.
posted by andrew cooke at 2:57 PM on March 23, 2003