Lufsig: Difference between revisions
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[[File:Lufsig@ikeadec2013.jpg|thumb|in-store display with a Lufsig poster]]{{EngvarB|date=December 2013}} |
[[File:Lufsig@ikeadec2013.jpg|thumb|in-store display with a Lufsig poster]]{{EngvarB|date=December 2013}} |
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{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2013}} |
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2013}} |
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'''Lufsig''' is a [[stuffed toy]] wolf sold at Swedish furniture chain [[IKEA]]. The toy, designed by German designer Silke Leffler, is inspired by the fairy tale ''[[Little Red Riding Hood]]'' as a representation of the [[Big Bad Wolf]]. The plush was sold as part of IKEA's annual ''Soft Toys for Education'' campaign, where the company donates a portion from each toy sold towards various causes. |
'''Lufsig''' is a [[stuffed toy]] wolf sold at Swedish furniture chain [[IKEA]]. The toy, designed by German designer Silke Leffler, is inspired by the fairy tale ''[[Little Red Riding Hood]]'' as a representation of the [[Big Bad Wolf]]. The plush was sold as part of IKEA's annual ''Soft Toys for Education'' campaign, where the company donates a portion from each toy sold towards various causes. The name "Lufsig" is derived from the [[Swedish language|Swedish]] verb "lufsa", meaning "to lumber". |
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In December 2013, the toy became a symbol of opposition towards the Hong Kong government, after an incident during a town hall event where a Lufsig was thrown by a protester at Chief Executive [[CY Leung]] |
In December 2013, the toy became a symbol of opposition towards the [[Hong Kong]] government, after an incident during a town hall event where a Lufsig was thrown by a protester at Chief Executive [[CY Leung]] (who had been nicknamed "the wolf" by his critics). Following the incident (and the discovery that its name, transliterated into the [[Cantonese language]], was pronounced similarly to a [[Cantonese profanity]]), Lufsig experienced a surge in popularity, selling out at IKEA stores in Hong Kong, as well as mainland [[China]]. |
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== Development == |
== Development == |
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Lufsig designed by German designer Silke Leffler, drawing inspiration from the fairy tale ''[[Little Red Riding Hood]]''. The toy consists of a wolf, wearing a red checked shirt and braces, and |
Lufsig designed by German designer Silke Leffler, drawing inspiration from the fairy tale ''[[Little Red Riding Hood]]''. The toy consists of a wolf, wearing a red checked shirt and braces, and the diminutive grandmother which fits inside the wolf's belly.<ref name=20131212standard>[http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?we_cat=11&art_id=140527&sid=41111173&con_type=1&d_str=20131212&fc=7 "CY gobbles up critics' wolf cries"]. ''The Standard'', 12 December 2013</ref> Lufsig was sold as part of IKEA's annual Soft Toys for Education campaign, where a portion of the profit from IKEA's stuffed toys and accompanying storybooks sold during the holiday season would be donated by IKEA to [[UNICEF]] and [[Save the Children]]. 2013 marked the tenth year of the campaign.<ref name=theindependent-softtoy>{{cite web|title=Ikea and Unicef ensure soft toys are an education|url=http://www.independent.ie/lifestyle/ikea-and-unicef-ensure-soft-toys-are-an-education-29817384.html|work=The Independent|accessdate=4 January 2014}}</ref><ref name="bbc"/> The name of the toy is an adjective form of the [[Swedish language|Swedish]] verb "lufsa", which means "to lumber".<ref name=time20131210>Liljas, Per (10 December 2013). [http://world.time.com/2013/12/10/stuffed-ikea-toy-becomes-offensive-anti-government-symbol-in-hong-kong/ "Stuffed IKEA Toy Becomes Offensive Anti-Government Symbol in Hong Kong"]. ''Time''.</ref> |
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Lufsig was sold as part of IKEA's annual Soft Toys for Education campaign, where a portion of the profit from IKEA's stuffed toys and accompanying storybooks sold during the holiday season would be donated by IKEA to [[UNICEF]] and [[Save the Children]].<ref>[http://www.ikeafoundation.org/soft-toys "Soft Toys for Education campaign"]. IKEA Foundation.</ref> 2013 marked the tenth year of the campaign.<ref name=theindependent-softtoy>{{cite web|title=Ikea and Unicef ensure soft toys are an education|url=http://www.independent.ie/lifestyle/ikea-and-unicef-ensure-soft-toys-are-an-education-29817384.html|work=The Independent|accessdate=4 January 2014}}</ref><ref name="bbc"/> |
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== Symbolism == |
== Symbolism == |
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[[CY Leung]], who was [[Hong Kong Chief Executive election, 2012|elected as Chief Executive of Hong Kong]] in 2012, has proven unpopular with residents. Of particular criticism was the election process itself, where the new Chief Executive was chosen by the [[Election Committee]], a group of 1200 individuals, many of whom loyal to the [[Government of China]]. The election of Leung, combined with speculation during the campaign that Leung was connected to the [[Communist Party of China]], sparked a pro-democracy movement and protests, calling for the adoption of [[universal suffrage]].<ref name=bbc-cytroubles>{{cite web|title=CY Leung: The troubles of Hong Kong's unloved leader|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-23193421|work=BBC News|accessdate=4 January 2014}}</ref><ref name=bbc-elected>{{cite web|title=CY Leung elected Hong Kong's new leader|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-china-17503171|work=BBC News|accessdate=4 January 2014}}</ref> His popularity among citizens reached a record low in December 2013.<ref name="thelocal"/><ref name="bloomberg"/> Critics of Leung have |
[[CY Leung]]', who was [[Hong Kong Chief Executive election, 2012|elected]] as [[Chief Executive of Hong Kong]] in 2012, has proven unpopular with residents. Of particular criticism was the election process itself, where the new Chief Executive was chosen by the [[Election Committee]], a group of 1200 individuals, many of whom loyal to the [[Government of China]]. The election of Leung, combined with speculation during the campaign that Leung was connected to the [[Communist Party of China]], sparked a pro-[[democracy]] movement and protests, calling for the adoption of [[universal suffrage]].<ref name=bbc-cytroubles>{{cite web|title=CY Leung: The troubles of Hong Kong's unloved leader|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-23193421|work=BBC News|accessdate=4 January 2014}}</ref><ref name=bbc-elected>{{cite web|title=CY Leung elected Hong Kong's new leader|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-china-17503171|work=BBC News|accessdate=4 January 2014}}</ref> His popularity among citizens reached a record low in December 2013.<ref name="thelocal"/><ref name="bloomberg"/> Critics of Leung have nicknamed him "the Wolf", alluding to his alleged cunningness, and as a pun of his name and the Chinese word for wolf.<ref name="bbc"/> |
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On 7 December 2013, during a town hall meeting, a Lufsig plush was thrown at Leung.<ref name="bbc"/> Following the incident, it was also discovered that the Cantonese [[transliteration]] of Lufsig's name as listed on IKEA's Chinese website, "路姆西" ("Lo Mo Sai") was a [[homophone]] of " |
On 7 December 2013, during a town hall meeting, a Lufsig plush was thrown at Leung by an anti-government protester.<ref name="bbc"/> Following the incident, it was also discovered that the Cantonese [[transliteration]] of Lufsig's name as listed on IKEA's Chinese website, "路姆西" ("Lo Mo Sai"), could be misinterpreted as [[Cantonese profanity|profanity]]; in particular, "Lo Mo Sai" was a [[homophone]] of "mother's [[cunt]]", and that the expression "throw Lufsig" ("丟老母閪", "Diū Lo Mo Sai"), could be a homophone of "fuck your mother's cunt".<ref name="chan">{{cite web|last=Chan|first=Yuen|title=IKEA Toy Wolf Becomes Unlikely Anti-Government Symbol in Hong Kong|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/yuen-chan/lufsig-hong-kong_b_4414080.html|work=[[Huffington Post]]|date=9 December 2013|accessdate=11 December 2013}}</ref><ref name="thelocal"/><ref name="chan"/><ref name="scmp"/><ref name=20131210mcbain>McBain, Sophie (10 December 2013). [http://www.newstatesman.com/business/2013/12/how-lufsig-cuddly-wolf-became-hong-kong-protest-symbol "How Lufsig the cuddly wolf became a Hong Kong protest symbol – A short lesson in the art of mistranslating names into Chinese."] ''The New Statesman''.</ref> |
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== Reception == |
== Reception == |
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Revision as of 03:49, 4 January 2014
Lufsig is a stuffed toy wolf sold at Swedish furniture chain IKEA. The toy, designed by German designer Silke Leffler, is inspired by the fairy tale Little Red Riding Hood as a representation of the Big Bad Wolf. The plush was sold as part of IKEA's annual Soft Toys for Education campaign, where the company donates a portion from each toy sold towards various causes. The name "Lufsig" is derived from the Swedish verb "lufsa", meaning "to lumber".
In December 2013, the toy became a symbol of opposition towards the Hong Kong government, after an incident during a town hall event where a Lufsig was thrown by a protester at Chief Executive CY Leung (who had been nicknamed "the wolf" by his critics). Following the incident (and the discovery that its name, transliterated into the Cantonese language, was pronounced similarly to a Cantonese profanity), Lufsig experienced a surge in popularity, selling out at IKEA stores in Hong Kong, as well as mainland China.
Development
Lufsig designed by German designer Silke Leffler, drawing inspiration from the fairy tale Little Red Riding Hood. The toy consists of a wolf, wearing a red checked shirt and braces, and the diminutive grandmother which fits inside the wolf's belly.[1] Lufsig was sold as part of IKEA's annual Soft Toys for Education campaign, where a portion of the profit from IKEA's stuffed toys and accompanying storybooks sold during the holiday season would be donated by IKEA to UNICEF and Save the Children. 2013 marked the tenth year of the campaign.[2][3] The name of the toy is an adjective form of the Swedish verb "lufsa", which means "to lumber".[4]
Symbolism
CY Leung', who was elected as Chief Executive of Hong Kong in 2012, has proven unpopular with residents. Of particular criticism was the election process itself, where the new Chief Executive was chosen by the Election Committee, a group of 1200 individuals, many of whom loyal to the Government of China. The election of Leung, combined with speculation during the campaign that Leung was connected to the Communist Party of China, sparked a pro-democracy movement and protests, calling for the adoption of universal suffrage.[5][6] His popularity among citizens reached a record low in December 2013.[7][8] Critics of Leung have nicknamed him "the Wolf", alluding to his alleged cunningness, and as a pun of his name and the Chinese word for wolf.[3]
On 7 December 2013, during a town hall meeting, a Lufsig plush was thrown at Leung by an anti-government protester.[3] Following the incident, it was also discovered that the Cantonese transliteration of Lufsig's name as listed on IKEA's Chinese website, "路姆西" ("Lo Mo Sai"), could be misinterpreted as profanity; in particular, "Lo Mo Sai" was a homophone of "mother's cunt", and that the expression "throw Lufsig" ("丟老母閪", "Diū Lo Mo Sai"), could be a homophone of "fuck your mother's cunt".[9][7][9][10][11]
Reception
Following the incident, Lufsig experienced a surge in popularity in Hong Kong; people lined up outside IKEA's three Hong Kong locations the next morning to purchase the toy, which were all sold out within hours.[3][9] The popularity soon extended to Mainland China (where 11 of the 14 IKEA stores sold out), and even to Canada.[12] A Lufsig Facebook page amassed over 45,000 likes, and Lufsigs were being listed on online auction sites for as high as HK$689 (the number of votes Leung received in the election).[11][3][13][14]
On 11 December 2013, Leung himself posted a picture of himself with a Lufsig he bought for his daughter, and praised the "creativity" of Hong Kong people.[8] IKEA apologized the same day, and changed the official Chinese name to "路福西" (pronounced as "Lu Fu Xi" in Mandarin and as "Lo Fook Sai" in Cantonese), incorporating a Chinese character meaning "good fortune".[1][8]
References
- ^ a b "CY gobbles up critics' wolf cries". The Standard, 12 December 2013
- ^ "Ikea and Unicef ensure soft toys are an education". The Independent. Retrieved 4 January 2014.
- ^ a b c d e "Ikea toy wolf becomes Hong Kong protest symbol". BBC News. 10 December 2013. Retrieved 11 December 2013.
- ^ Liljas, Per (10 December 2013). "Stuffed IKEA Toy Becomes Offensive Anti-Government Symbol in Hong Kong". Time.
- ^ "CY Leung: The troubles of Hong Kong's unloved leader". BBC News. Retrieved 4 January 2014.
- ^ "CY Leung elected Hong Kong's new leader". BBC News. Retrieved 4 January 2014.
- ^ a b "Ikea stuffed wolf sells out amid Hong Kong fury". The Local. 10 December 2013. Retrieved 11 December 2013.
- ^ a b c "Ikea Wolf Toy Gets Renamed in China After Old One Deemed Vulgar". Bloomberg. 11 December 2013. Retrieved 12 December 2013.
- ^ a b c Chan, Yuen (9 December 2013). "IKEA Toy Wolf Becomes Unlikely Anti-Government Symbol in Hong Kong". Huffington Post. Retrieved 11 December 2013.
- ^ "Hong Kong toymakers upset over stuffed symbol of protest Lufsig the wolf". South China Morning Post. 10 December 2013. Retrieved 11 December 2013.
- ^ a b McBain, Sophie (10 December 2013). "How Lufsig the cuddly wolf became a Hong Kong protest symbol – A short lesson in the art of mistranslating names into Chinese." The New Statesman.
- ^ "IKEA toy wolf popular in Canada after being thrown at HK chief executive". Want China Times, 15 December 2013
- ^ Streder, Ruth (12 December 2013). "Lufsig Or How A Wolf Taught A Communications Lesson"
- ^ "Cuddly wolf sinks teeth into Leung". The Standard, 11 December 2013
External links
- LUFSIG soft toy – IKEA