Cunning Linguists...

The latest billboard ad from the Karachi branch of Nando’s, the international chicken chain, states:

Nandos:
A Chick That Looks Good and Tastes Great!

Of course, that is an admirable goal, one that I suppose I seek myself, but considering their audience, I’m not sure exactly what they’re going for with this one. If they weren’t going for the innuendo, I can’t see why they would choose the word "Chick." And if they weren’t going for the innuendo… then I don’t get it.

Nando’s last ad campaign was quite good, but difficult to explain to someone who hasn’t been to Karachi. They had a big billboard near Three Swords saying :

Why did the chicken cross the road?
Because the underpass will take forever.

Now, if you don’t live in Karachi, you’re saying, "What in the hell is that supposed to mean." It refers to the ongoing road-construction project to build an underpass through the high traffic intersection of Schon Circle. I thought the advert was clever because of the timing. When they put that billboard up, the construction was just beginning and the contractors were assuring everyone that the disturbance would only be for six to eight months. Of course, everyone knew it would take much longer, and sure enough, it’s been at least six months and the whole area still looks like the surface of the moon during some kind of inter-orbital nuclear war. A good question might be: What will last longer in Karachi? The Schon Circle Underpass Construction? or David J. Ford?

On a related note, this latest Nando’s tasty chick campaign puts me in mind of the old Cape Breton fried chicken restaurant: Lick a Chick. Every time I drive across the island I see that big "Lick a Chick" sign, think to myself, "Don't mind if I do," and then laugh the rest of the way to Sidney.* But of course, you can't blame them, "Lick a Chick" has been around for decades... back before sexual innuendoes were invented.



* Geographical Note: In case anyone was thinking that I drove from Canada to Austalia... Sidney is also the largest city on Cape Breton, an incredibly beautiful island off of Nova Scotia.**

** Further Geographical Note: In case anyone was wondering, Nova Scotia is a province on the East coast of Canada. ***

*** Further Geographical Note for Americans: In case you were wondering, Canada is an extremely large country to your North