New Melania Trump Billboards: Do They Suggest She Knows Only ‘A Little Bit Of English’?

It looks like Melania Trump has not only made a big splash with the people of this nation, but she’s also made a great impression with some people on the other side of the globe. Melania’s image is dressing up some billboards, but you won’t get to drive by this marketing strategy that is centered around Melania’s accomplishments. That is unless you happen to be visiting Croatia.

The American Institute (Americki Institut) in the city of Zagreb offered up their new billboard in a picture they posted on their Facebook account. They used the post as an announcement of their new marketing strategy with Melania Trump front and center in the image.

The school announced they are “entering the billboard game,” and their first billboard sports Melania Trump dressed in White with an American flag proudly displayed in the background. She is sporting a “slight smile” on her face, suggests Refinery 29. The caption describes just what this school is attempting to convey as it reads, “Just imagine how far you can go with a little bit of English.” The billboard is seen below from the institution’s Facebook page.

https://www.facebook.com/americki.institut/photos/a.842540242588899.1073741829.341698432673085/855188117990778/?type=3

The picture that the institute opted to use for their billboard was from the Republican National Convention that took place last summer. Refinery 29 suggests how this picture is “interestingly” taken at the same event where Melania was accused of borrowing words from Michelle Obama’s speech at the Democratic National Convention back in 2008.

While the billboard was not meant to be offensive, which is what the creator has claimed, Refinery 29 suggests “the wording seems to take a shot at Trump,” particularly at her level of English proficiency. To say she knows “a little bit” doesn’t describe Melania’s use of the English language, suggests Refinery 29. They also add to their critique this caption: “She doesn’t know ‘a little bit’ of English — she’s fluent, and the fact that she has an accent doesn’t detract from it.”

https://www.facebook.com/refinery29/posts/10155912613537922

The caption might suggest that learning the English language is “an automatic path to success,” writes Refinery 29, but the words “little bit” distracts from the message because it really isn’t describing Melania’s fluent knowledge of the English language.

According to Croatia News, the author of the American Institute’s billboard describes what they are attempting to convey to the public. She points out that the message was not offensive at all and adds, “The message is unambiguously referring to a person who, with a little knowledge of a foreign language, has become one of the most powerful individuals on the planet.”

Their idea behind selling the fact that knowing the English language can further your career is one way to market the school. But at the same time, the wording does not seem to give credit to the first lady for her impeccable knowledge of the language, not to mention the several other languages she’s fluent in. Refinery 29 suggests that this is something they find “confusing” about the Melania Trump billboard. Although Melania has an accent, they make the point that this is not the same as understanding the use of the language.

Indy 100 suggests, “People are torn over what’s more ridiculous: the insinuation a moderate level of English is enough to become the US’s first lady, or that being married to Trump is an aspiration we all share.”

Trudy Hamilton-Irvin writes on Twitter, “I think a little more than English was used.”

Twitter user Francesco Furfaro seems to also see this a little differently. Furfaro writes, “seems like shade is being thrown imo.”

Melania Trump hails from Slovenia, a neighboring country of Croatia, where the billboards are erected. Suggesting that you will go far by learning the English language like Melania did is a message that might hit the mark for some folks when pondering their future; this is what the American Institute folks are banking on.

[Featured Image by Evan Vucci/AP Images]