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Cultural Beliefs on Numbers and Colors

Numbers 13 and 17 have different cultural meanings in Italy. Number 4 is considered unlucky in several East Asian cultures. The color red symbolizes different concepts like Communism in some countries versus Christmas in others. Cultural perceptions also influence commercial products - a Dunkin' Donuts commercial was pulled due to a scarf resembling a Palestinian symbol, and Barbie dolls were banned in Saudi Arabia for not conforming to Islamic values while alternative dolls were designed to be more culturally appropriate.

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Faiz Ahmed
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42 views2 pages

Cultural Beliefs on Numbers and Colors

Numbers 13 and 17 have different cultural meanings in Italy. Number 4 is considered unlucky in several East Asian cultures. The color red symbolizes different concepts like Communism in some countries versus Christmas in others. Cultural perceptions also influence commercial products - a Dunkin' Donuts commercial was pulled due to a scarf resembling a Palestinian symbol, and Barbie dolls were banned in Saudi Arabia for not conforming to Islamic values while alternative dolls were designed to be more culturally appropriate.

Uploaded by

Faiz Ahmed
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

1.

Interesting Facts
a. Number 13 and 17
Number 13 is considered lucky in Italy, while the unlucky number is 17:
- Well known Italian airline company (Alitalia) does not have a seat with the number
17
- Renault sold its R17 model in Italy as R177
b. Number 4
Number 4 is considered unlucky in China, Korea, Japan, and Vietnam:
- Some buildings in East Asia do not have a 4 th floor
- None of Nokias cell phone series begin with the number 4
- The Canon PowerShot G series of digital cameras skipped the G4 model name due
to cultural beliefs.
c. Colors
You might be thinking, Sure, colors might represent different things to different
people, but are they really that big of a deal?
The answer to that question is most definitely yes. For example, the color red is
often a symbol for Christmas in North America, while in countries such as Russia,
China and Vietnam, the same color symbolizes Communism. The army of the former
Soviet Union was actually known as the Red Army. Perceptions around the color
white are another example of extremely different reactions to the same color. In
many Western countries, white conjures up images of purity and innocence, brides
in wedding dresses, snow, and winter. On the other hand, some Asian cultures
associate white with death and mourning.
d. Dunkin Donuts
In May 2008, Dunkin Donuts aired a commercial featuring Rachael Ray wearing a
black and white scarf. However, many people believed the scarf resembled a
kaffiyeh, the traditional scarf worn by Palestinians which some people perceive as
symbolizing Palestinian terrorism and Muslim extremism. Because of the outrage
and controversy over the scarf and the possibility of misperception, the Dunkin
Donuts chain stopped airing the commercial.
e. Barbie dolls
What is acceptable in one culture may be frowned upon in another. In 2003, Mattel
Barbie dolls were outlawed in the Middle Eastern country of Saudi Arabia because
the doll did not conform to the ideals of Islam. An alternative doll named Fulla was
designed to be more acceptable to an Islamic market, even though Fulla is not
made by Mattel Corporation. In Iran, Sara and Dara dolls are available as an
alternative to Barbie and Ken. These dolls are targeted to the Muslim population and

feature modest clothing and pro-family backgrounds developed by a government


agency to promote traditional values.

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