Why does Q change the colour names?

[alter ego]

Just wondered.

I've noticed confusion with both guests and presenters quite a few times, but I just watched a taping of one of yesterday's Frank Usher shows and the guest was completely bemused. She kept saying things like, "Oh, we're calling it that" on just about all the items.

Why don't they just use the originals? Or is that just about the stupidest question ever (considering it's Q)?

 

[Julius]

So they can say: "What are we calling this?"

 

[donna255]

Because someone at QVC is colourblind?

Is a idiot?

 

[spartacus]

It's very frustrating, but having said that I wish they would change the colour names for Opi for example - "I should tango" and other such nonsense doesn't exactly give you a clue to the shade.

 

[Silver Fox]

This unfortunately is not a new phenomenon it happens so many times.I can't, as most of us can't see a reason for it.There is nothing more frustrating if you are trying to place an order & the presenter & guest 'this is called the Purple-- oh no we are calling that Magenta, the Purple is the one which looks more like Navy' result switch off, too much hassle.Get the message QVC?

 

[grovesy]

I think this has been going on since day one.

 

[yorkrose26]

As stated on other threads with regards to a 10 year old putting the website or not (I can't concur one way or the other, obviously ), but I think at as an apprentice stage (i.e when they are 8 or 9 and of course their vocabulary at this age with regards to colours and descriptions etc. is not going to be as descriptive as someone older. Or what you could say is that it is an older person who has the descriptive nounce of an 8 or 9 year old, take your pick.

I know that presenters have often been 'caught out' with regards to different descriptions from what they actually are, I remember Julia Roberts stating that (I think it was a Kipling Bag), which was definitely a shade of 'duck-egg' was for some bizzare reason stated something completley different (I think it was yellow), on the website, I can even remember her showing her tablet to the camera, stating that this was the colour that you needed to order on the web and in the call centre. No as others have said this has been going on from day one, it is probably that just now they are employing more younger staff, to get around the 'living wage' payments (sorry this is/should be a political free zone) hence the age of the staff.

 

[Glittergirl]

Just wondered.

I've noticed confusion with both guests and presenters quite a few times, but I just watched a taping of one of yesterday's Frank Usher shows and the guest was completely bemused. She kept saying things like, "Oh, we're calling it that" on just about all the items.

Why don't they just use the originals? Or is that just about the stupidest question ever (considering it's Q)?

Very frustrating for the viewer and presenter. Some of the colours are not right. who makes these up? :mysmilie_1:

 

[Pinkmoon]

Just wondered.

I've noticed confusion with both guests and presenters quite a few times, but I just watched a taping of one of yesterday's Frank Usher shows and the guest was completely bemused. She kept saying things like, "Oh, we're calling it that" on just about all the items.

Why don't they just use the originals? Or is that just about the stupidest question ever (considering it's Q)?

I'm always reminded of this scene from 'Mr Blandings Builds His Dream Home' when this subject is mentioned. It's a bit long, but well worth reading (even better when watched!)

MURIEL
Now I want the living room to be a
soft green.
(PeDelford nods)
Not quite as bluish as a robin's
egg, but yet not as yellow as daffodil
buds.

PEDELFORD
Mm.

MURIEL
(handing him a sample)
The best sample I could get is a
little too yellow, but don't let
whoever mixes it go to the other
extreme and get it too blue. It should
just be sort of a grayish yellow
green.

PEDELFORD
(making a note)
Mm-hmm.

They turn to the dining room.

MURIEL
Now the dining room I'd like yellow.
Not just yellow, a very gay yellow.

PEDELFORD
Mm-hmm.

MURIEL
Something bright and sunshiny.
(sudden inspiration)
I tell you, Mr. PeDelford, if you'll
just send one of your workmen to the
A&P for a pound of their best butter
and match it exactly, you can't go
wrong.

PEDELFORD
(making a note)
Mm.

MURIEL
This is the paper we're going to use
here in the foyer.
(hands sample to him)
It's flowered but I don't want the
ceiling to match any of the colors
of the flowers. There are some little
dots in the background, and it's
these dots I want you to match. Not
the little greenish dots near the
hollyhock leaf, but the little bluish
dot between the rosebud and the
delphinium blossom. Is that clear?

PeDelford looks carefully at the sample, then:

PEDELFORD
(making note)
Mm-hmm.

MURIEL
The kitchen's to be white. Not a
cold, antiseptic hospital white -- a
little warmer but not to suggest any
other color but white.

PEDELFORD
(note)
Mm.

MURIEL
Now for the powder room, I want you
to match this thread.
(hands him thread)
You can see it's practically an apple
red. Somewhere between a healthy
Winesap and an unripened Jonathan.

PEDELFORD
(making note)
Mm.

There is a crash from the kitchen.

MURIEL
Will you excuse me?

Muriel hastily exits toward the kitchen. PeDelford turns to
his assistant.

PEDELFORD
Got it, Charlie?

CHARLIE
(deadpan; indicating
rooms with his thumb)
Green, yellow, blue, white, red.

PEDELFORD
Check.

If you've a mind, you can watch the whole film here: http://www.metacafe.com/watch/7731110/mr_blandings_builds_his_dream_house_1948/

 

[historymystery]

This has driven me nuts when I've watched in the past, and is one of the reasons I can't watch for long. Two grown-ups (allegedly) standing there debating whether it's Grass Green or Vomit Beige, and continually mumbling "now, what are we calling this one?" is just ludicrous, in my book. Er, here's a really radical idea, Q......................blurdy well label them up before they hit the screen, and make sure the description fits with the ones on the website, that way even the dimmest of presenters (and we're spoilt for choice here) can't get it wrong. Yes, it's radical, yes, it's ground-breaking, but go on, give it a go....

Very frustrating for the viewer and presenter. Some of the colours are not right. who makes these up? :mysmilie_1:

 

[Silver Fox]

I once had a job where I had to come up with colour names, as it was a world wide market you had to be aware that the name could have a different meaning in another country.Add that one to the mix QVC.

 

[Brissles]

This has driven me nuts when I've watched in the past, and is one of the reasons I can't watch for long. Two grown-ups (allegedly) standing there debating whether it's Grass Green or Vomit Beige, and continually mumbling "now, what are we calling this one?" is just ludicrous, in my book. Er, here's a really radical idea, Q......................blurdy well label them up before they hit the screen, and make sure the description fits with the ones on the website, that way even the dimmest of presenters (and we're spoilt for choice here) can't get it wrong. Yes, it's radical, yes, it's ground-breaking, but go on, give it a go....

Oh that someone from Q should read your suggestion - AND understand what it means !!!!! The presenters also should do their homework before going on air, to make sure they know that Sapphire Green is being described as Airforce Blue !!

 

[stratobuddy]

Not exactly Q's fault, but Bose's descriptions are nothing like reality eg platinum white (nothing like white), Expresso Black (nothing like black) and Silver (a dull grey).

 

[alter ego]

What bothers me the most is that the guest obviously knows the product by the colour the brand has given it - and more often or not it seems true to the product colour.

The guest is then totally confused as Q has given it another colour name - which more often or not confuses the viewer as their descriptions e.g. maroon and purple/duck egg and turquoise are similar shades (particularly on screen and even more so when the presenter wades in and confuses the issue!).

Stay with the brand's shades and then, should we already be familiar (especially with foundation shades), we know what to bl**dy order and there's no on-screen fumbling between guest and presenter about shade names. Grrr!

 

[talisker25]

What bothers me the most is that the guest obviously knows the product by the colour the brand has given it - and more often or not it seems true to the product colour.

The guest is then totally confused as Q has given it another colour name - which more often or not confuses the viewer as their descriptions e.g. maroon and purple/duck egg and turquoise are similar shades (particularly on screen and even more so when the presenter wades in and confuses the issue!).

Stay with the brand's shades and then, should we already be familiar (especially with foundation shades), we know what to bl**dy order and there's no on-screen fumbling between guest and presenter about shade names. Grrr!

Well, as they keep telling us, green is the new purple :mysmilie_12:

 

[AndiK]

What bothers me the most is that the guest obviously knows the product by the colour the brand has given it - and more often or not it seems true to the product colour.

The guest is then totally confused as Q has given it another colour name - which more often or not confuses the viewer as their descriptions e.g. maroon and purple/duck egg and turquoise are similar shades (particularly on screen and even more so when the presenter wades in and confuses the issue!).

Stay with the brand's shades and then, should we already be familiar (especially with foundation shades), we know what to bl**dy order and there's no on-screen fumbling between guest and presenter about shade names. Grrr!

That they change the name from the one the makers gave items is what annoys me the mostq. It's bad enough that they give things colour names which mean nothing, or might mean one thing to one person and another thing to someone else. But to change names completely, that's just senseless and surely a waste of everyone's time.

The other confusing thing they do is, with a choice of different patterned fabrics where one is navy background with pink flowers, say, and one is navy background with green flowers, they will still call one navy and one green. Why not say Navy/Green and Navy/Pink so it's obvious? Of course, it's the customer's fault and he/she gets the black mark when things are returned because the wrong colour was received.

 

[historymystery]

Don't get me started on this - it drives me nuts. And if it only happened once in a blue moon I could understand it - but it happens nearly every time - preceded by the dreaded "what are we calling this?". My reply is usually "I'm calling you an idiot". They obviously do zilch prep. before a show, otherwise they would know each colour and how it tallies with the Q description. Heaven knows how many viewers who want Cowpat Brown end up with Navy Blue, I dread to think.

Just wondered.

I've noticed confusion with both guests and presenters quite a few times, but I just watched a taping of one of yesterday's Frank Usher shows and the guest was completely bemused. She kept saying things like, "Oh, we're calling it that" on just about all the items.

Why don't they just use the originals? Or is that just about the stupidest question ever (considering it's Q)?

 

[historymystery]

Give over. This smacks of using logic, and that is definitely not on their radar.

That they change the name from the one the makers gave items is what annoys me the mostq. It's bad enough that they give things colour names which mean nothing, or might mean one thing to one person and another thing to someone else. But to change names completely, that's just senseless and surely a waste of everyone's time.

The other confusing thing they do is, with a choice of different patterned fabrics where one is navy background with pink flowers, say, and one is navy background with green flowers, they will still call one navy and one green. Why not say Navy/Green and Navy/Pink so it's obvious? Of course, it's the customer's fault and he/she gets the black mark when things are returned because the wrong colour was received.

 

[historymystery]

brissles, I've come to the conclusion either they just can't be ar$$d or they are too dim to work it out for themselves, and as for presenters doing their homework before they come on screen......well, you can forget that! "Now, what colour are we calling this?", "Now, what colour are we calling this?", "Now, what..."....kill me now!!!!!!!!!!:mysmilie_13::mysmilie_13::headbang:

Oh that someone from Q should read your suggestion - AND understand what it means !!!!! The presenters also should do their homework before going on air, to make sure they know that Sapphire Green is being described as Airforce Blue !!

 

[yorkrose26]

Just wondered.

I've noticed confusion with both guests and presenters quite a few times, but I just watched a taping of one of yesterday's Frank Usher shows and the guest was completely bemused. She kept saying things like, "Oh, we're calling it that" on just about all the items.

Why don't they just use the originals? Or is that just about the stupidest question ever (considering it's Q)?

I am taking it that the above is a rhetorical statement, given the fact that we are indeed talking about Q