--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When a place advertises itself as 'World…" description: "\"When a place advertises itself as 'World Famous,' you may be sure it isn't.\" — Herb Caen" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d38/herb-caen-15397_famous_when-a-place-advertises-itself-as-world_1565564.jpg" --- # When a place advertises itself as 'World Famous,' you may… ![“When a place advertises itself as 'World Famous,' you may be sure it isn't.” quote by Herb Caen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d38/herb-caen-15397_famous_when-a-place-advertises-itself-as-world_1565564.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d38/herb-caen-15397_famous_when-a-place-advertises-itself-as-world_1565564.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d38/herb-caen-15397_famous_when-a-place-advertises-itself-as-world_1565564.jpg) > “When a place advertises itself as 'World Famous,' you may be sure it isn't.” [Herb Caen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herb-caen/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A claim of worldwide fame often signals the opposite, indicating modest or false reputation. **In simple terms:** World famous claims may be false. Key Takeaway Question grandiose marketing. Themes marketing reputation skepticism Mood skeptical wry Type critical observational When to use this quote - tourism ads - product branding - media hype Key Concepts Brand perception consumer behavior hyperbole Questions to Reflect On - How do you verify a claim's authenticity? - What makes a reputation truly global? A Different Perspective Not all claims are deceptive; some are genuine. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fame/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [When you are famous, you never can be sure why somebody's being nice. You just have to develop a very good sixth sense. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzi-quatro/when-you-are-famous-you-never-can-be-sure-why-somebody-s-being-nice/) [Suzi Quatro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzi-quatro/) > [Everyone wants to be famous, but when you get there, you're not so sure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliza-dushku/everyone-wants-to-be-famous-but-when-you-get-there-you-re-not-so-sure/) [Eliza Dushku](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliza-dushku/) > [The News of the World made me more famous than being in Atomic Kitten.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-katona/the-news-of-the-world-made-me-more-famous-than-being-in-atomic-kitten/) [Kerry Katona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-katona/) > [“I’m world famous. Throughout the globe—north, south, east, and west—there are literally four people who know my name. It’s great to have all four…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/i-m-world-famous-throughout-the-globe-north-south-east-and-west-there/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [The success of Heine -- to become a world-famous 'unknown poet.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanislaw-jerzy-lec/the-success-of-heine-to-become-a-world-famous-unknown-poet/) [Stanislaw Jerzy Lec](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanislaw-jerzy-lec/) > [I'm world-famous ... all over Canada.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mordecai-richler/i-m-world-famous-all-over-canada/) [Mordecai Richler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mordecai-richler/) > [I am honoured to be accepting this degree from Oxford University, a world famous educational institution. This is a very special day for my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rahat-fateh-ali-khan/i-am-honoured-to-be-accepting-this-degree-from-oxford-university-a/) [Rahat Fateh Ali Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rahat-fateh-ali-khan/) > [In the future, everybody will be world famous for fifteen minutes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-warhol/in-the-future-everybody-will-be-world-famous-for-fifteen-minutes/) [Andy Warhol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-warhol/) > [The world's most famous and popular language is music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/psy/the-world-s-most-famous-and-popular-language-is-music/) [PSY](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/psy/) > [It's an honour to have such a wonderful international cast on board for this world famous murder mystery. Writer Stewart Harcourt has created an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-suchet/it-s-an-honour-to-have-such-a-wonderful-international-cast-on-board/) [David Suchet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-suchet/) > [When you finally end something like Superman and then find yourself world-famous, it's pretty weird, lemme tell ya. Fame is weird, is what it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margot-kidder/when-you-finally-end-something-like-superman-and-then-find-yourself/) [Margot Kidder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margot-kidder/) > [You should definitely visit the Louvre, a world-famous art museum where you can view, at close range, the backs of thousands of other tourists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/you-should-definitely-visit-the-louvre-a-world-famous-art-museum/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [But the thing with us was, we didn’t really need anyone to make us world famous – we were already halfway there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ozzy-osbourne/but-the-thing-with-us-was-we-didn-t-really-need-anyone-to-make-us/) [Ozzy Osbourne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ozzy-osbourne/) > [If I wasn't going to be a world-famous journalist and if I didn't have such respect for truth and justice, I could be an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-rees-brennan/if-i-wasn-t-going-to-be-a-world-famous-journalist-and-if-i-didn-t/) [Sarah Rees Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-rees-brennan/) ## More by Herb Caen > [I have a memory like an elephant. I remember every elephant I've ever met.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herb-caen/i-have-a-memory-like-an-elephant-i-remember-every-elephant-i-ve-ever/) [Herb Caen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herb-caen/) > [A city is not gauged by its length and width, but by the broadness of its vision and the height of its dreams.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herb-caen/a-city-is-not-gauged-by-its-length-and-width-but-by-the-broadness-of/) [Herb Caen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herb-caen/) > [I sometimes worry about my short attention span, but not for long.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herb-caen/i-sometimes-worry-about-my-short-attention-span-but-not-for-long/) [Herb Caen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herb-caen/) > [Just two days in Manhattan and you find yourself looking for a place to wash your handkerchief after you wipe your forehead and it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herb-caen/just-two-days-in-manhattan-and-you-find-yourself-looking-for-a-place/) [Herb Caen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herb-caen/) > [Baffling late-life discovery: Golfers wear those awful clothes on purpose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herb-caen/baffling-late-life-discovery-golfers-wear-those-awful-clothes-on/) [Herb Caen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herb-caen/) > [All American cars are basically Chevrolets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herb-caen/all-american-cars-are-basically-chevrolets/) [Herb Caen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herb-caen/) > [San Franciscans have a bond of self-satisfaction bordering on smugness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herb-caen/san-franciscans-have-a-bond-of-self-satisfaction-bordering-on-smugness/) [Herb Caen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herb-caen/) > [The waterfront without the Ferry Tower would be like a birthday cake without a candle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herb-caen/the-waterfront-without-the-ferry-tower-would-be-like-a-birthday-cake/) [Herb Caen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herb-caen/) > [Best trumpet: Mike Vax, an alumnus of the Kenton Band, who plays every style with a bright cutting edge, throwing in bop riffs here…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herb-caen/best-trumpet-mike-vax-an-alumnus-of-the-kenton-band-who-plays-every/) [Herb Caen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herb-caen/) > [The trouble with born-again Christians is that they are an even bigger pain the second time around.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herb-caen/the-trouble-with-born-again-christians-is-that-they-are-an-even/) [Herb Caen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herb-caen/) > [We are reorganizing in order to eliminate duplication and redundancy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herb-caen/we-are-reorganizing-in-order-to-eliminate-duplication-and-redundancy/) [Herb Caen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herb-caen/) > [Old San Francisco - the one so many nostalgics yearn for - had buildings that related well to each other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herb-caen/old-san-francisco-the-one-so-many-nostalgics-yearn-for-had-buildings/) [Herb Caen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herb-caen/) > [The clock doesn't matter in baseball. Time stands still or moves backwards. Theoretically, one game could go on forever. Some seem to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herb-caen/the-clock-doesn-t-matter-in-baseball-time-stands-still-or-moves/) [Herb Caen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herb-caen/) > [Isn't it nice that people who prefer Los Angeles to San Francisco live there?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herb-caen/isn-t-it-nice-that-people-who-prefer-los-angeles-to-san-francisco/) [Herb Caen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herb-caen/) > [A city is a crazy concrete jungle whose people at the end of each day somehow make a small step ahead against terrible odds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herb-caen/a-city-is-a-crazy-concrete-jungle-whose-people-at-the-end-of-each-day/) [Herb Caen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herb-caen/) [Explore all 43 Herb Caen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herb-caen/) ## More Fame quotes > [Most celebrated men live in a condition of prostitution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-augustin-sainte-beuve/most-celebrated-men-live-in-a-condition-of-prostitution/) [Charles Augustin Sainte-Beuve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-augustin-sainte-beuve/) > [I don't want to be famous famous. I'm happy on the second tier, where I have autonomy on a professional level but I can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-reece/i-don-t-want-to-be-famous-famous-i-m-happy-on-the-second-tier-where-i/) [Gabrielle Reece](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-reece/) > [Some people say that 'Drag Race' is about glory and immortalizing yourself in the Hall of Fame. For me, it's about shaking RuPaul down…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trixie-mattel/some-people-say-that-drag-race-is-about-glory-and-immortalizing/) [Trixie Mattel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trixie-mattel/) > [The News of the World made me more famous than being in Atomic Kitten.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-katona/the-news-of-the-world-made-me-more-famous-than-being-in-atomic-kitten/) [Kerry Katona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-katona/) > [Becoming famous is a really shocking thing, especially when you don't have aspirations to it. It got to the point where I would try…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-moyet/becoming-famous-is-a-really-shocking-thing-especially-when-you-don-t/) [Alison Moyet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-moyet/) > [Five World Series rings, 3000-plus hits, the fame, the fortune and playing for the second most historic franchise in baseball... These are just some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mookie-betts/five-world-series-rings-3000-plus-hits-the-fame-the-fortune-and/) [Mookie Betts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mookie-betts/) > [There's nothing like getting feedback that's positive and supportive. That's what I'm all about. I'm really just genuinely doing good music. I'm not looking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tiffany-villarreal/there-s-nothing-like-getting-feedback-that-s-positive-and-supportive/) [Tiffany Villarreal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tiffany-villarreal/) > [Don't crave fame, do what you do and just apply. I don't think many of them here today are that interested in fashion. Perhaps…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-wilson/don-t-crave-fame-do-what-you-do-and-just-apply-i-don-t-think-many-of/) [Louise Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-wilson/) > [If I had never gotten famous or rich, I think I'd be equally neurotic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-romano/if-i-had-never-gotten-famous-or-rich-i-think-i-d-be-equally-neurotic/) [Ray Romano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-romano/) > [Unfortunately, celebrity is a powerful thing. It can influence people, but if it can influence people in a good way, then that's a great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-furnish/unfortunately-celebrity-is-a-powerful-thing-it-can-influence-people/) [David Furnish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-furnish/) > [I think you either live a real life or you live a weird celebrity pseudolife.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-michelle-gellar/i-think-you-either-live-a-real-life-or-you-live-a-weird-celebrity/) [Sarah Michelle Gellar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-michelle-gellar/) > [I am uninterested in Jennifer Aniston's take on anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-dillon/i-am-uninterested-in-jennifer-aniston-s-take-on-anything/) [Tim Dillon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-dillon/) > [The Baseball Hall of Fame is something every player dreams about, but being a member of God's Hall of Fame is the greatest achievement…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-carter/the-baseball-hall-of-fame-is-something-every-player-dreams-about-but/) [Gary Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-carter/) > [I don't want to have anything to do with that: just the fame without personal respect for your privacy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucas-till/i-don-t-want-to-have-anything-to-do-with-that-just-the-fame-without/) [Lucas Till](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucas-till/) > [I wanted to have money; I wanted to be special; I wanted people to like me; I wanted to be famous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-degeneres/i-wanted-to-have-money-i-wanted-to-be-special-i-wanted-people-to-like/) [Ellen DeGeneres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-degeneres/) [Browse all 6,971 Fame quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fame/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When a place advertises itself as 'World Famous,' you may be sure it isn't.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Herb Caen" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herb-caen/when-a-place-advertises-itself-as-world-famous-you-may-be-sure-it-isn/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Fame" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herb-caen/when-a-place-advertises-itself-as-world-famous-you-may-be-sure-it-isn/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d38/herb-caen-15397_famous_when-a-place-advertises-itself-as-world_1565564.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d38/herb-caen-15397_famous_when-a-place-advertises-itself-as-world_1565564.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d38/herb-caen-15397_famous_when-a-place-advertises-itself-as-world_1565564.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When a place advertises itself as 'World Famous,' you may be sure it isn't.” — Herb Caen", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Herb Caen", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herb-caen/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When a place advertises itself as...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herb-caen/when-a-place-advertises-itself-as-world-famous-you-may-be-sure-it-isn/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herb-caen/when-a-place-advertises-itself-as-world-famous-you-may-be-sure-it-isn/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```