With so many local and international fast food chains in the country, McDonald’s Japan has a lot of competition to contend with, especially after numerous scandals in the first half of the last decade led to unprecedented deficits for the company.
In order to increase their popularity with fast food lovers around the nation, McDonald’s Japan has been working hard over the last five years, bringing out a slew of new burgers, collaborating with local brands and companies, and even opening a fancy pop-up restaurant with silverware, tablecloths, and wine glasses filled with iced tea.
Now they’re attempting to grab the spotlight once again with another never-before-seen release — the Otona no Cream Pie, which translates to “Adult Cream Pie” in English.
Otona is a word often used in the Japanese sweets industry to describe confectionery that has less sweetness than regular brands, evoking a sense of high-quality, refined flavor.
However, the combination of the word “adult” and “cream pie” brings up a whole other imagery entirely for English speakers, which has people questioning whether or not the team consulted with any English-language speakers before deciding on the new name.
The accompanying commercial for the new product also displays some subtext that allows for reading-in-between-the-lines.
The ad above features a young woman (played by Sairi Ito) and an older woman (played by Yoko Maki of "The Grudge"), who’s referred to as both sensei (“teacher”) and senpai (“senior“). The younger woman can be seen asking her sensei: “That cream pie, is it really that delicious?” which prompts the sensei to turn and hold the younger woman’s face in both hands, saying earnestly, “If you eat it once, you’ll be filled.”
The two then jump in a cab, asking the driver to take them to the nearest McDonald’s, where they’ll no doubt be ordering the Adult Cream Pie, which retails for 150 yen and comes in the following two flavors:
▼ Belgian Chocola
▼ Sweet Fromage
While the word otona literally translates to “adult” in English, it should be noted that the adult entertainment industry and its related goods and products in Japan use the word adaruto, a corrupted form of the English word “adult”.
Therefore, the name of the dessert won’t necessarily raise eyebrows amongst the majority of McDonald’s diners here in Japan, but for English speakers on Twitter, the Adult Cream Pie is causing a bit of a stir.
There’s not long to go for the countdown to the day the Adult Cream Pies become available at McDonald’s branches around Japan, as they go on sale for a limited time from Jan 15.
Regardless of whether the wording was intentional or accidental, it’s a marketing boon for the fast food giant as people will no doubt be flooding social media with images of the lost-in-translation dessert as soon as it goes on sale.
Source: McDonald’s Japan
Read more stories from SoraNews24.
-- McDonald’s Japan offers sweet peach as a “triangle pie”!
-- Donald Trump playing cards exist in Japan thanks to McDonald’s
-- Starbucks Japan brings out new American Cherry Pie Frappuccino
© SoraNews24
28 Comments
Login to comment
extanker
Oh boy am I glad this was already addressed...
David Varnes
Otona no Cream Pie....
snickers
gogogo
So sexy
FizzBit
no thanks
and they still can’t master the simple technique of putting mustard, ketchup, pickle(singular) and onions on a burger. Back to basics McD’s corporate board.
kohakuebisu
I assume none of the people behind this searched the web for "adult" and "cream pie" without parental filters.
I hope they have the humility to accept any comments about this and don't go all passive-aggressive like the people behind "Fukuppi" did.
kyushubill
When will McD's Japan learn if you wanna sell burgers you need Paris Hilton in a wet Tshirt and short shorts getting soapy and saying "That's Hot!".
C'mon it ain't rocket science.
lucabrasi
I'd seriously doubt that this is some kind of accident. Definitely planned, with an eye towards this type of free advertising...
Pukey2
Well, looking at the photo, it certainly does look like an adult creampie!
Yve Haddit
And you can start your « happy » meal with an « adult tossed salad » while you’re at it !
kolohe
Couldn't they have used "grown ups" instead?
Serrano
Adult Cream Pie
Har!
Otona no Cream Pie....
It's "Otona no Kuriimu Pai" with "Otona" having the meaning of grown-up, not adult like in adult videos.
Zack
"mature cream pie"
Serrano
And you can start your « happy » meal with an « adult tossed salad » while you’re at it !
Just remember, the Happy Meal comes, hee hee, at the end :D
KnowBetter
This story made me burst out laughing and get latte foam all over my keyboard. Mmmm sticky keys. Thanks JT, Wednesday's much better now.
Patricia Yarrow
My Christmas presents to ship back home are guaranteed. Not actually buying it as McD is a horrible, planet killing, climate busting, just bad for your body example of the corporate cheese balling of the planet, but will take a photo. Another example of English made into a laughing stock. Of course, it is deliberate.
No Business
You sound like a fun person.
Vince Black
Utterly clueless. This is what happens when Japanese are too proud to consult a native English speaker. Don’t get me started on how I’ve seen them write “election”...
N30N0M3N
The "adult" cream pie is less sweet. The "elderly" cream pie is bitter.
steve morgan
I remember about 50 years ago they had a cookie called "Snatch" and the JN TV commercial had a pretty blonde lady who said--"snatch-snatch eat snatch". I later found out that the cookie company wanted to come up with a name for a cookie that could be grabbed on the run in a hurry. So they consulted an English dictionary and settled on naming the cookie snatch. Many snatches have come and gone since then.
GW
Mc-Pron LOL!!!
Patricia Yarrow
No Business: You are right! I am a really fun person!
ushosh123
Subtle advertising ain't subtle anymore
Jtsnose
Why only adult? Just serve good, healthy food.
Dake otona doushite ka? Dake tabemono genki.
Brian Wheway
This article has put a big smile on my face today, there are so many innuendoes, double entendre, oh dear!! ( slightly sighing)
Zaphod
I am not sore. I thought the president of the Japan operation is a gaijin, and I assume they have some smart people in the advertising department. The commercial also looks a bit tongue in cheek. Wouldnt be surprised if there is an eye on viral advertising.
Nicholas Cossins
For goodness sake! It's not "adult cream pie" is it? It's "大人のクリームパイ"
It will be advertised using "大人."
This word "大人" can be translated into many words including "adult", "grown-up", "older person", "big person". It's just the morons that want to translate anything and everything to English that have caused this senseless post. Once again, it is NOT an "adult cream pie" it is an "大人のクリームパイ".