Tag: Branding

Photo composition of fruits on an old, worn bamboo cutting boardm, full of old knife marks. Some cherries are scattered to the upper left. A large mango fills the upper right corner. In the center view is a ripe avocado cut in half, exposing the large, nearly spherical seed. A whole avocado rests nearby. Water droplets adorn the fruits. The style is hypersaturated in color and contrast, accentuating the shadows and cuts. Photo by Ben Young Landis
Photo of Mr. Spock from Star Trek, holding his hand up in the Vulcan salute, with a "V" formed by parting his fingers.

Live Long and Ever Given: A Cultural Explainer and Teachable Moment on Asian Language Bias

“It’s a weird name,” typed many a social media spectator this past week. Yes, much has been quipped of late about the Ever Given — the enormous cargo vessel that had been blocking the Suez Canal — as well as Evergreen, the Taiwanese shipping giant which owns the vessel. But the names actually serve as an example of how Asian languages and cultures often elicit a reaction of confusion or unconscious bias by Western audiences.

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An enormous freight ship, with shipping containers stacked more than 10 layers high like toy blocks, can be seen touching both sides of the Suez Canal. It's so big that a big tractor-digger on the shore looks like a tiny insect. The foreground is stacked containers from the ship from which this photo was taken.

Live Long and Ever Given: A Cultural Explainer and Teachable Moment on Asian Language Bias

“It’s a weird name,” typed many a social media spectator this past week. Yes, much has been quipped of late about the Ever Given — the enormous cargo vessel that had been blocking the Suez Canal — as well as Evergreen, the Taiwanese shipping giant which owns the vessel. But the names actually serve as an example of how Asian languages and cultures often elicit a reaction of confusion or unconscious bias by Western audiences.

Continue Reading
"Mandy Mandarin" packaging design for Wild River Fruit by Ben Young Landis and Guy Rogers, as seen at a Nugget Market in West Sacramento, California. Part of the "Our Owl Friends" branding series. (Photo by Ben Young Landis. Our Owl Friends is a trademark of Wild River Marketing, Inc.)
Our Owl Friends and associated kiwi owl logos are trademarks of Wild River Marketing Inc. Designed by Ben Young Landis and Guy Rogers. The photo shows a plastic clamshell container with six kiwifruits inside. The container's graphic shows the smiling Wild River green kiwi owl with one wing waving. Graphic says "California's Sacramento Valley is home to Wild River and Our Owl Friends!" and that the fruits are organic, naturally high in antioxidants, including vitamins C & E! Plus fiber, potassium & magnesium!