This came from my Singapore bank:
The big print on the envelope says: “IMPORTANT. Open up and get more.”
I don’t think I like the idea of opening up for a bank. Do you?
And what would I get more of if I were to open up?
Is this creepy or what?!! Amusing definitely.
And when I did open up, I just got more offers I didn’t care for. Sigh.
It is interesting how the use of a few subtly extraneous words can twist the meaning of the message. Technically there is nothing wrong with the message – if one were able to take it at purely face value. Surely this is only really possible from someone who learnt English from a primarily technical perspective, devoid of any colloquial cultural context. This cultural context is what made it creepy/amusing to some, and completely innocuous to others.
Another hilarious (to some) example is the “I swallow” ad from a few years ago.
In this case, perhaps this alternative would have worked better: “IMPORTANT. Offers inside.”
