The iPhone 7 is finally here and all has been revealed (including the controversial AirPods), so to get the message out there, what you need is a memorable slogan.
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Locals in Hong Kong have picked up on the marketing gaff and many are mocking the fact that giant billboards are now displaying images of iPhone 7, with the slogan “This is penis”.
“Seven”, or 柒, is pronounced “tsat”, and is also slang for “penis” in Cantonese, which is the majority language of Hong Kong, Macau and the Pearl River Delta region of China.
In Taiwan, the phrase loosely translates to “Exactly is 7”.
China represents one of Apple’s top markets, and translations of the slogan vary drastically across China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong, as you can see from the marketing materials below.
“This is penis”. Well played, Apple.
The camera on the iPhone 7 has been dramatically improved…
“The word isn’t particularly offensive”.
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Unless, of course, it is a penis-shaped mobile phone that you could pee through while making a phone call, or a mobile phone for your penis. It’s often used to mock someone and is rarely used to cause offence. Unfortunately, this does not translate well in Hong Kong and residents have started to question why Apple is shouting “This is penis” at them from bus stops and other advertising opportunities. One Hong Konger wrote, “Without a 3.5mm earbud jack, this is exactly penis”, clearly also displeased with the company’s bold choice to drop headphone jacks.
