Digitec TV ad

Has the advertising agency hired by Digitec Television (a Japanese brand) been craftily bribed by Digitec's competitors to deliberately create an untrustworthy impression by making the product look more than slightly ridiculous?

The word "Bombastis" uttered in the Digitec TV ad by Rano Karno is a direct translation from the English "bombastic", which means "important-sounding, insincere words with little meaning", according to Longmans Dictionary of Contemporary English. Kamus Inggris-Indonesia and Kamus Indonesia-Inggris by John M. Echols and Hassan Shadily give a similar translation. Thus the word "Bombastis", as anyone in their right mind will agree, is actually the most unfavorable choice of word with which to praise the merits of a TV. Somehow this ad reminds me of another ad which appeared briefly on Indonesian TV, in which the merits of mosquito coils were praised by a Dutch gentleman who uttered a vile curse.

I think the advertising agency responsible for the Digitec Ad owes its unfortunate client an explanation, and soon -- lest foreign and local companies begin to lose their trust in the professionalism of Indonesian advertising agencies.

TAMI KOESTOMO

Bogor, West Java