Friday 23 May 2008

BMW TV ad contains grammatical error

As "emissions" is a plural noun, shouldn't it be "Fewer emissions"? How embarrassing for BMW and their advertising agency! See an explanation of the difference between "less" and "fewer" on the AskOxford website. I realize that they're going for the "less is more" connection, but I still don't forgive them.

7 comments:

  1. I noticed this as well – very embarrassing for them as is clearly a result of some turkeys in their advertising agency not knowing how to use their own language properly. The statement sits there on the screen right at the end of the ad… should have just said “we is all a bit fick, innit”

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  2. I'm not sure they'd sell as many cars if their slogan was "we is all a bit fick, innit". I'd respect them more, though. I will Captain Boycott the company for the rest of my life. In Bavaria, where I grew up, BMW used to be slang for "Bayerische Mist Wagen", which means "Bavarian shit-heap car". It makes me think of modifying a line from "Trainspotting": "I don't hate BMW owners; they're just wankers." That would be a slight generalization, however, based on no actual data. Maybe they should make provision for this in the next census so that I can prove my flippant point.

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  3. ....no one really cares....

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  4. yea. i agree. by the way whoever posted this. thanks i was looking for tv errors for a English project. you are totally a life saver. =)

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  5. If you're still looking for errors...
    ASDA have a campaign proclaiming 'Less Carrier Bags' - does that jar or what?
    Now Volvo are at it with 'Less Emissions, not Less Style'

    Is it because they is Swedish init?

    Andy Bee

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  6. How about less grammatical errors in the public domain? I would be prepared to wager that most Swedish English-speakers' grammar is better than many natives'.

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