Business Engrish

I have a client that speaks English none too well. He has me design catalogs and packaging for his toys, and also asks me to help him name his products. I enjoy his emails. Here's a sampling.


"Thank you for your explanation, I thought you are perfessional, and I have also memtioned that your design fit my other chemical glue or D.I.Y. Product."


"As to the toy package, please follow the markets, we plan to sell this bubble toys in U.S. Market and EU Markets. So please refer to the colorful design like the package I sent to you. I will be happy to have colorful and distinctive design."


"4. The kid on the left side, if you could let the kid's left eye winking reflex, that will be better. let him be seen as a little startle reflex."


"This pop bubble is for kid to blow a bubble, then kids use two hands to clap, then the bubble will sound "POP", like a rubber balloon sudden burst, but not so strongly."


"2. Could you please change the two kids to use some full of characteristic figures, it is too normal, and hope that to be loved by American kids?"


"The main topic and figure will be fine, I still looking forward to have better background, I need your some more initiative and creative idea."


"And also I can not feel the face or motion of the kid has fantastic feeling, I think this is catoon, so that we could let the figure much more exaggerate. How do you think about it?"


He sent some samples of what I was supposed to do the packaging like, and I said

"Are these going to be sold in the U.S.? Because, I have to tell you, as a designer, I look at the samples you sent me and cringe. If I was teaching a class on graphic design, I would use them as examples of how NOT to design a package. They are full of imagery and text, and it's hard to read anything. There are 3-4 different styles of illustration in each one, making it look like a mashup of frightening clip-art and misspelled words.


The examples have paw prints, musical notes, alarm clocks, and bugs. I have taught graphic design for many years, and I always teach that the package must be readable, with eye-catching and clear text, and to promote the product with imagery relating to the product. I understand that these are your competitors. Maybe you want to stand out from them, so that people take notice and view you as a quality brand. WIth this in mind, I've included an extra design that shows the direction I would recommend"

His response: "Great Job! It seems very good that I can not pick some points I can change.

Just replace the base color of NEW with red instead of blue.

Thank you very much for your effort.

It is great to cooperate with you."

There was no blue in the design.