Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, April 30, 1995 TAG: 9505060010
SECTION: TRAVEL PAGE: G-7 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DAVID SMYTH ASSOCIATED PRESS
DATELINE: NEW YORK LENGTH: Medium
Yanks overseas should beware of making the American ``OK'' sign, the forefinger touching the thumb in a circle. In France this is a vulgar gesture. In Brazil, it is considered the most obscene sign you can make.
And Japanese salesmen in Europe: Flowers are a welcome gift when you are visiting a business associate in Germany. But be sure that the flowers you present to your hostess are not red roses. The German businessman may think you are romancing his wife.
These tips are found in ``Do's and Taboos Around the World,'' a 208-page book which started out in life as a guide to foreign customs for American executives abroad, but now has grown into a series of handbooks in various languages for international business people and tourists who want to avoid becoming Ugly Japanese, Ugly Germans or Ugly French in their worldwide travels.
The books, a boon to travelers hoping to avoid embarrassing or confrontational situations in other countries, are also a moneymaker for The Benjamin Co., their publisher. Benjamin's niche is sponsored or custom-published books that can be found in unexpected places like microwave ovens as well as the more predictable corner bookstore.
``Do's and Taboos Around the World'' was put together by the Parker Pen Co., which rounded up hundreds of tips by and for its worldwide sales force and then found it had a bestseller on its hands.
The English-language version has gone through three editions and more than 15 printings since 1985 and sold more than 200,000 copies in bookstores worldwide. The book has been translated into French, German, Japanese and Finnish.
The foreign language editions have been adapted for their particular markets. The French edition, ``Le Tour du Monde Sans Faux Pas,'' contains a section on Quebec-style French to help Parisians who might find the Canadian dialect incomprehensible.
The guides advise travelers to Japan that the word for the number four (shi) is similar to the word meaning death. So, when in Osaka or Tokyo do not make anyone a gift containing four of an item. A sake set may contain two cups or six, but never four.
The German version, ``Vorsicht Fettnaepchen,'' warns readers in Frankfurt that a hefty slap on the back from an American, ``even when it hurts,'' is a sign of hearty approval.
As a marketing tool, the book had a variety of uses for Parker, which has distributed it to wholesalers and retailers, packed it as a premium with Parker pens and pencils, tied it in with Parker advertising, promotion and publicity, and made it available as a door-opener and leave-behind for its sales representatives.
Besides, of course, the regular bookstore sales. According to Parker's manager of marketing and communications, Gene Rohlman, the book brought Parker ``a million dollars' worth of free publicity.''
Benjamin has published similar books for hundreds of national and international corporations, and also provides clients with sales-building assistance and services.
Benjamin clients include Toyota, General Motors, Sears, Sanyo, Amway, Kraft Foods, Goodyear, McCormick and Procter & Gamble. Titles for clients run the non-fiction gamut and include cookbooks, sports, money management, home care, gardening, travel, humor, corporate histories and anniversary books.
McCormick, the spice maker, celebrated its centennial with ``100 Best Recipes for 100 Years from McCormick.'' Drug maker Upjohn Co. uses ``A Century of Caring'' as a public relations and recruiting vehicle.
Jack Felton, McCormick vice president for corporate communications, said, ``as an international spice company, we decided to celebrate our 100th anniversary, but not with a dull corporate history.''
Microwave oven cookbooks are another Benjamin specialty. Some 20 million Sears Kenmore ovens have included specially written cookbooks produced and published by Benjamin.
by CNB