Does anyone know why Taiwanese use the abbreviation DM for the advertisement leaflets that are given out? Never heard of this used anywhere else.
Apparently it’s derived from “direct marketing” or “direct mail”. I don’t know why they latched onto this phrase when it’s not used by English speakers. Perhaps the Japanese originated this habit?
Thanks Chris for the quick reply.
Certainly wouldn’t be the first time.
I thought it was ‘demonstration materials’. Taiwanese often use catch terms and jargon like this without actually knowing what it means. It sounds professional so they throw the term around as much as possible.
Other acronyms useful for face value include: HR, IT, CEO, ETC. Nobody actually knows what these acronyms stand for but they sound good in a meeting.
In the advertising industry, a commercial is known as a CF and a blooper is an NG (no good).
But that’s the business way!
I was watching an old Harold Lloyd film(Movie Crazy, 1932). The plot involved the making of a film. After filming a take, if the shot didn’t work out, a crew member would hold up a sign that said “NG”, signifying that the take was no good.
This practice may well be the origin of the term “NG” as used in Taiwan and Japan.
Yes DM is a common term for flyer or brochure in Taiwan, they erroneously believe it’s common English usage worldwide…it’s derived from direct marketing or direct mail, don’t know which!
Maybe “DM” is just easier to say than “Dilect Malketing” or “Dilect Mair.” That’s true for me, anyway.
I wrongly assumed it stood for Demonstration Materials because I’d never heard the term before. It seemed to be applied to all marketing materials including posters and other documents that don’t fall under the Direct Marketing category. My boss would always tell us in meetings that we needed new virgins of the DM or ask, ‘have you finished the new virgin of the DM?’ Where’s the new virgin, we need a new virgin, etc.
I never snickered but often wished the new virgins would arrive soon.
Do Americans use the appalling MC (meaning a woman’s period)? Or is it just a Taiwan thing?
[quote=“Charlie Phillips”] Where’s the new virgin, we need a new virgin, etc.
I never snickered but often wished the new virgins would arrive soon.[/quote]
“Pass me another virgin, this one’s full.”
[quote=“urodacus”][quote=“Charlie Phillips”] Where’s the new virgin, we need a new virgin, etc.
I never snickered but often wished the new virgins would arrive soon.[/quote]
“Pass me another virgin, this one’s full.”[/quote]
Just stop by the local internet cafe, you’ll find at least 20 virgins playing CC or some other letter combination…
[quote=“Lappy”][quote=“urodacus”][quote=“Charlie Phillips”] Where’s the new virgin, we need a new virgin, etc.
I never snickered but often wished the new virgins would arrive soon.[/quote]
“Pass me another virgin, this one’s full.”[/quote]
Just stop by the local internet cafe, you’ll find at least 20 virgins playing CC or some other letter combination…[/quote]
Something tells me those aren’t the virgins he is looking for.
The virgins DIY.
from AM to PM I drop BMs and then pass around DMs
Man, it must me the combination of someone using the name Deuce Dropper talking about dropping BMs that made the funky looking cheese/sauce on the Forker’s ad turn my stomach.
I’ve only ever heard this in Taiwan.
DM, my colleagues also say EDM for electronic direct mail…don’t ask me where that one came from.
Never heard of it outside of Taiwan. Though if I heard it in Japan, it wouldn’t surprise me, because Japlish is the source of much Tailish.
MC: “menstrual cramps”? “menstrual cycle”? “men cower”?