Businesses in China are not renowned for their innovative copywriting prowess - most see corporate communications as an unnecessary expense that can best be done by an English-speaking secretary or a junior marketing executive fresh out of university. The examples of poor-quality, bizarre and, frankly, unfathomable copywriting works are legion - and too plentiful to list here.
However, flicking through the pages of one of Shanghai's English-language magazines, we found a full-page advert for a ritzy new bar called, ahem, Bling. It caught our eye for the wrong reasons.
While the writing was not necessarily bad, it was, line-by-line, riddled with the kind of desperate large-livin' cliches that most people thought were left behind, and buried, in 1980s London and New York. Ads such as this simply validate the observations of many marketing commentators who believe "Loadsamoney" Shanghai 2007 is neatly replicating an advertising time vortex that the west passed through 20 years ago.
Here are some verbatim samples of Bling's brightest USPs:
"Bling is filled with plush couches, dazzling chandeliers, a decent-sized dance-floor for the girls to get freaky, and the guys to bust a move."
"Be sure to find a constant flow of celebrity spotting throughout the week."
"Ladies Night: Top 3 ladies who dress HOT and got SEXY moves will have a chance to win an exclusive Swarovski necklace."
"Gentleman's Night: Hey Gentlemen, want to party like you are at the Playboy Mansion?"
Oh, and for those who are interested, each Tuesday a "hip hop teacher from the States will teach you how to shake like Beyonce."
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