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Webdesign Trompe l'oeil
27/3/04 19:48So, I was poking around Die Puny Humans a few days ago, and found a link to the "Parasite Pals" website, where you can buy all sorts of cute, kitschy merchandise with things such as cartoon eyelash mites emblazoned thereon.
I poked around, and something disconcerted me. The entire website was done in Engrish (Tickles Tapeworm: Tickles is living within the stomach. He likes much the good food). However, nowhere did there appear to be a link to a Japanese version of the site. Nothing, at any time, appeared in Japanese. Finally, I saw a link at the bottom that said Accoutrements.com, and clicked. Apparently, Accoutrements is a purveyor of fine American-made kitch, and "Parasite Pals" is an offshoot or brand that belongs to them.
I found it fascinating that people would take the time to make something look Japanese not only in theme ("Parasite Buddies? Only in Japan!"), but also in text and in general website ambience--color, font, etc.
This means that Japanese culture is apparently so cool that Americans are trying to fake consumers out. This is nothing new, of course--since the turn of last century people have been doing a brisk business in "genuine" art-objects to people who would drool over anything Chinese or Japanese merely by virtue of its being "exotic".
I just found the technology-updated version of this ploy to be extremely effective, as well as clever.
I also wonder--if this Engrish trend continues in American merchandising and advertising, won't it mess up people's grammar skills even further?
I poked around, and something disconcerted me. The entire website was done in Engrish (Tickles Tapeworm: Tickles is living within the stomach. He likes much the good food). However, nowhere did there appear to be a link to a Japanese version of the site. Nothing, at any time, appeared in Japanese. Finally, I saw a link at the bottom that said Accoutrements.com, and clicked. Apparently, Accoutrements is a purveyor of fine American-made kitch, and "Parasite Pals" is an offshoot or brand that belongs to them.
I found it fascinating that people would take the time to make something look Japanese not only in theme ("Parasite Buddies? Only in Japan!"), but also in text and in general website ambience--color, font, etc.
This means that Japanese culture is apparently so cool that Americans are trying to fake consumers out. This is nothing new, of course--since the turn of last century people have been doing a brisk business in "genuine" art-objects to people who would drool over anything Chinese or Japanese merely by virtue of its being "exotic".
I just found the technology-updated version of this ploy to be extremely effective, as well as clever.
I also wonder--if this Engrish trend continues in American merchandising and advertising, won't it mess up people's grammar skills even further?
