World Nutella Day survives after Ferrero reaches out to superfan

[Previously posted on MGMT 320 course page]

World Nutella Day survives after Ferrero reaches out to superfan

This article, from the Los Angeles Times, would at first appear to be frivolous, but it is actually an excellent example of a consumer product with a global reach.

In this article, we learn that a group of Nutella fans had created a new holiday, World Nutella Day (observed February 5) and had been hit with a cease-and-desist order from Ferrero Rocher (the Italian firm that manufactures the product). In this update (May 22), we learn that Ferrero Rocher has come to an agreement with the holiday's founder, Sara Rosso, most likely in response to the outrage expressed by numerous Nutella fans (addicts ?).

Note the obligatory Facebook page.

Ina statement on the World Nutella Day's website , we further learn that:

"I’m relieved to say there’s been a positive resolution to the situation. Ferrero employees reached out to me directly after I had posted my fan letter online and sent my formal reply to their C&D. They were very gracious and supportive and we were able to have a productive discussion about World Nutella Day living on for the fans, which is the whole point."

So what's the international connection here, apart from the fact that it's a US fan (although she lives in Italy) and an Italian company?

Nutella's sold in North America (US and Canada), all over Europe, Middle East, North Africa and Australia/New Zealand -- anywhere where there's a population that can afford such an indulgence [1]
Some representative news coverage of the controversy (and other Nutella news), from:

• Argentina (video)
• Finland
• France
• Japan

[1]It’s not a question of whether people worldwide like chocolate. Chocolate is a universal. Chocolate sales are just beginning to take off in Asia; the linked article uses the phrase “no sign of slowing”

Followup on BAE - EASD Merger...

...which appears won't be happening.

Per the Financial Times:

Government officials in London, Paris and Berlin blamed each other for not backing the €36bn tie-up between BAE Systems, the UK’s defence champion, and EADS, Europe’s biggest civil aerospace group, while investors accused BAE of having a muddled strategy that threatened shareholder value. 

An opinion piece in the Economist blames it on Germany (EADS ownership is complex; a large portion is controlled by Daimler).  And, the BBC has a very nice summary of the whole deal.

A Look at the Most Contaminated Place on Earth

Ran across this discussion of pollution issues in the former USSR (or, now, Russia).

Lake Karachay, Mayak, and Chelyabinsk-40: A Look at the Most Contaminated Place on Earth

Here's a map.

Truly chilling.

The reason I'm linking this is because so many of the other articles here are fascinating:

Norilsk: The World’s Most Northerly (and Most Polluted) Major City

Mapping World Rankings in Various Sports

List of Global Brands Keeps Coke on Top, and Apple Jumps Up

 

From the New York Times:

List of Global Brands Keeps Coke on Top, and Apple Jumps Up

Just a quick thought or so --

The sidebar to the left shows the 2012, 2011 and 2010.  Note that Apple jumped way up and Nokia fell like the proverbial rock.

If you go to the actual survey (link in the NYT article and here), you'll notice the presence of a number of luxury brands:

17.  Louis Vuitton
38.  Gucci
63.  Hermés
68.  Cartier (here's the Cartier commercial from the evening class)
70. Tiffany & Co.
84.  Prada

Remember where the growth for these brands is?  If you said China, you'd be right. 

Gucci on growth in China (video)

China’s rich feeds luxury brands and tourism in Europe

The Top 50 Most-Searched for Luxury Brands in China.

That is all.

Divided by a Common Language

"England and America are two countries divided by a common language."

Nobody is really quite sure who said this.  Some say it was Winston Churchill, others attribute it to Oscar Wilde.  Most sources I've found give George Bernard Shaw credit, though there's no written documentation of Shaw's having said this.  But, he could have.

While looking this morning for background material on Egypt (which will be part 3 of the CIVETS series), I found an article on the BBC entitled "Britishisms and the Britishisation of American English."  That ended up as a lost hour......

One of the points of particular interest in this article is that, when Americans (USAians ?) use specific Britishisms ((such as "colour" for "color" or "centre" for "center"), that they don't come across as sophisticated, just pretentious.

Picture from Memphis Flyer


The BBC article linked to this page (Not One-Off Britishisms).  I thought I'd read the first few entries, but got totally sucked in.  The author here also skewers the pretentiousness of some US uses of British idioms, but makes an additional point, which is that language in the US is enriched by the addition of British words and phrases for which there is no specific American equivalent.  One I am particularly fond of is the verb "to vet," meaning "to look into," with the implications of determining a person's suitability for a position and of digging for the dirt before the opposition can do so.

Example #1
Example #2

Then, there's my new favourite British news source, The Guardian.  One of their columnists decided to tackle the subject of British English vs. US English. The article is interesting, but the comments are even better.  Some people take their language very seriously.  Other commenters drifted down the byways of Spanish Spanish vs. Cuban Spanish.....

Then, just to make things Even More Complicated, remember that it's not just US English and British English.

• "Hinglish: Not same, very different" (English with a Hindi flavour)
• "G' Day mate: A guide to Australian language" (from a British source)
• "South African English" (Bring on the  vuvuzelas.  And, for evidence that there are people with entirely too much time on their hands.... )

This is enough.