Comments on: Banned for Life: One Man’s Tireless Crusade Against The Curse of Cliches http://copywriterunderground.com/2007/12/06/banned-for-life-one-mans-tireless-crusade-against-the-curse-of-cliches/ Copywriting Beyond the Words :: The Freelance Writer's Life Wed, 04 Nov 2009 18:46:36 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: Pages tagged "tireless" http://copywriterunderground.com/2007/12/06/banned-for-life-one-mans-tireless-crusade-against-the-curse-of-cliches/comment-page-1/#comment-32517 Pages tagged "tireless" Mon, 14 Jan 2008 00:57:45 +0000 http://copywriterunderground.com/2007/12/06/banned-for-life-one-mans-tireless-crusade-against-the-curse-of-cliches/#comment-32517 [...] = "34d024"; var mooter_wrapper_url=""; var run_method = "onload"; var mooter_target = "0"; Banned for Life: One Man’s Tireless Crusade Agai... saved by 3 others     frizz5000 bookmarked on 01/13/08 | [...] [...] = “34d024″; var mooter_wrapper_url=”"; var run_method = “onload”; var mooter_target = “0″; Banned for Life: One Man’s Tireless Crusade Agai… saved by 3 others     frizz5000 bookmarked on 01/13/08 | [...]

]]> By: Bob Hale http://copywriterunderground.com/2007/12/06/banned-for-life-one-mans-tireless-crusade-against-the-curse-of-cliches/comment-page-1/#comment-28703 Bob Hale Sat, 15 Dec 2007 20:26:16 +0000 http://copywriterunderground.com/2007/12/06/banned-for-life-one-mans-tireless-crusade-against-the-curse-of-cliches/#comment-28703 One final cliche pain in the asterisk: Please be advised the office will be closed for Christmas Day. And please be advised, I am outta here! B. H. One final cliche pain in the asterisk:
Please be advised the office will be closed for Christmas Day.

And please be advised, I am outta here!

B. H.

]]> By: Aaron Stanley http://copywriterunderground.com/2007/12/06/banned-for-life-one-mans-tireless-crusade-against-the-curse-of-cliches/comment-page-1/#comment-28696 Aaron Stanley Sat, 15 Dec 2007 19:17:11 +0000 http://copywriterunderground.com/2007/12/06/banned-for-life-one-mans-tireless-crusade-against-the-curse-of-cliches/#comment-28696 I agree...when the cliche obscures meaning, like so much marketing dribble these days. Here are a few more examples... "...is the leader in..." "...offers only the highest quality..." "...for all your [insert word] needs." (I hate that one.) But when the cliche is a common figure of speech used in everyday language, then it can be useful. It makes your copy sound more conversational, more "down to earth." For example... "kill two birds with one stone" "a bird in the hand, etc." These are ingrained in the public consciousness, and people instantly understand the metaphor. (I think this is what Brian Clark was touching on earlier.) I agree…when the cliche obscures meaning, like so much marketing dribble these days. Here are a few more examples…

“…is the leader in…”
“…offers only the highest quality…”
“…for all your [insert word] needs.” (I hate that one.)

But when the cliche is a common figure of speech used in everyday language, then it can be useful. It makes your copy sound more conversational, more “down to earth.” For example…

“kill two birds with one stone”
“a bird in the hand, etc.”

These are ingrained in the public consciousness, and people instantly understand the metaphor. (I think this is what Brian Clark was touching on earlier.)

]]> By: Bob Hale http://copywriterunderground.com/2007/12/06/banned-for-life-one-mans-tireless-crusade-against-the-curse-of-cliches/comment-page-1/#comment-28576 Bob Hale Fri, 14 Dec 2007 19:26:43 +0000 http://copywriterunderground.com/2007/12/06/banned-for-life-one-mans-tireless-crusade-against-the-curse-of-cliches/#comment-28576 I have one more to add. It's very "local," although you may have some similar phraseology: " The Greater Metropolitan Chicagoland area" Under the heading OMG! - that's a multi-redundant phrase. Greater, metropolitan, and "...land" mean "area." Only the most retarded PR or AD brain would write that, but it turned up in several radio commercials. When my turn came to read on the air I simply cut it to Chicagoland one time, Chicago area another, greater Chicago yet another. No one got the hint. And, no one complained. Conclusion: No one was listening! Which may explain why I am no longer in broadcasting! RSH I have one more to add. It’s very “local,” although you may have some similar phraseology:

” The Greater Metropolitan Chicagoland area” Under the heading OMG! – that’s a multi-redundant phrase.
Greater, metropolitan, and “…land” mean “area.” Only the most retarded PR or AD brain would write that, but it turned up in several radio commercials. When my turn came to read on the air I simply cut it to Chicagoland one time, Chicago area another, greater Chicago yet another.

No one got the hint. And, no one complained. Conclusion: No one was listening!

Which may explain why I am no longer in broadcasting!

RSH

]]> By: Leslie Talbot http://copywriterunderground.com/2007/12/06/banned-for-life-one-mans-tireless-crusade-against-the-curse-of-cliches/comment-page-1/#comment-28574 Leslie Talbot Fri, 14 Dec 2007 19:02:19 +0000 http://copywriterunderground.com/2007/12/06/banned-for-life-one-mans-tireless-crusade-against-the-curse-of-cliches/#comment-28574 Any sentence, paragraph, page, letter, report, proposal that begins with the phrase "In today's..." Double points off for anyone who adds the phrases "global marketplace," "competitive environment," or "customer-driven." Sometimes you even get the trifecta: "In today's competitive, customer-driven global marketplace..." ARGH. Any sentence, paragraph, page, letter, report, proposal that begins with the phrase “In today’s…”

Double points off for anyone who adds the phrases “global marketplace,” “competitive environment,” or “customer-driven.”

Sometimes you even get the trifecta:

“In today’s competitive, customer-driven global marketplace…”

ARGH.

]]> By: Tom Chandler http://copywriterunderground.com/2007/12/06/banned-for-life-one-mans-tireless-crusade-against-the-curse-of-cliches/comment-page-1/#comment-28139 Tom Chandler Tue, 11 Dec 2007 18:45:31 +0000 http://copywriterunderground.com/2007/12/06/banned-for-life-one-mans-tireless-crusade-against-the-curse-of-cliches/#comment-28139 I agree -- there's a distinction to be made between empty chest beating ("state of the art") and linguistic shorthand, though I wonder why it is so many marketing professionals seemingly can't make that distinction... I agree — there’s a distinction to be made between empty chest beating (”state of the art”) and linguistic shorthand, though I wonder why it is so many marketing professionals seemingly can’t make that distinction…

]]> By: Brian Clark http://copywriterunderground.com/2007/12/06/banned-for-life-one-mans-tireless-crusade-against-the-curse-of-cliches/comment-page-1/#comment-28132 Brian Clark Tue, 11 Dec 2007 18:02:57 +0000 http://copywriterunderground.com/2007/12/06/banned-for-life-one-mans-tireless-crusade-against-the-curse-of-cliches/#comment-28132 Jargon I hate. The occasional cliche? Well, an instantly-understandable metaphor is an instantly-understandable metaphor. Use with caution, but don't always rule it out just because you're afraid people will instantly know what you're talking about. :) That's often the point, right? Jargon I hate. The occasional cliche?

Well, an instantly-understandable metaphor is an instantly-understandable metaphor. Use with caution, but don’t always rule it out just because you’re afraid people will instantly know what you’re talking about. :)

That’s often the point, right?

]]> By: Tom Chandler http://copywriterunderground.com/2007/12/06/banned-for-life-one-mans-tireless-crusade-against-the-curse-of-cliches/comment-page-1/#comment-28125 Tom Chandler Tue, 11 Dec 2007 17:12:28 +0000 http://copywriterunderground.com/2007/12/06/banned-for-life-one-mans-tireless-crusade-against-the-curse-of-cliches/#comment-28125 Roberta: You never cease to amaze me. Lori: I think I read that press release. Or one just like it. I was starting with a new client, who sent over several documents explaining their business model and their technology (kinda). I needed powerful stimulants to make it all the way through the press release, and I still had no idea what they sold. Roberta: You never cease to amaze me.

Lori: I think I read that press release. Or one just like it. I was starting with a new client, who sent over several documents explaining their business model and their technology (kinda).

I needed powerful stimulants to make it all the way through the press release, and I still had no idea what they sold.

]]> By: Lori http://copywriterunderground.com/2007/12/06/banned-for-life-one-mans-tireless-crusade-against-the-curse-of-cliches/comment-page-1/#comment-27996 Lori Mon, 10 Dec 2007 21:09:39 +0000 http://copywriterunderground.com/2007/12/06/banned-for-life-one-mans-tireless-crusade-against-the-curse-of-cliches/#comment-27996 This post had me laughing! I remember reading a press release once that was so loaded with jargon that I picked up the phone and asked the PR person to translate it. I admit - I was having fun tormenting him. When he'd try to use the same jargon to explain himself, I'd say, "But what does that MEAN exactly?" He was tongue-tied, and I hung up feeling very proud of myself for busting his chops and getting a point across. Plus it was just plain fun. ;)) This post had me laughing! I remember reading a press release once that was so loaded with jargon that I picked up the phone and asked the PR person to translate it. I admit – I was having fun tormenting him. When he’d try to use the same jargon to explain himself, I’d say, “But what does that MEAN exactly?” He was tongue-tied, and I hung up feeling very proud of myself for busting his chops and getting a point across. Plus it was just plain fun. ;))

]]> By: Roberta Rosenberg http://copywriterunderground.com/2007/12/06/banned-for-life-one-mans-tireless-crusade-against-the-curse-of-cliches/comment-page-1/#comment-27945 Roberta Rosenberg Mon, 10 Dec 2007 16:54:53 +0000 http://copywriterunderground.com/2007/12/06/banned-for-life-one-mans-tireless-crusade-against-the-curse-of-cliches/#comment-27945 Actually, almost all feminine hygiene products use the color blue because it resembles NO human discharge ... at least not healthy human discharge. (I do recall a product using a different color in a recent ad, then the ad disappeared. I remember thinking, "Wow, that's gross.") Actually, almost all feminine hygiene products use the color blue because it resembles NO human discharge … at least not healthy human discharge. (I do recall a product using a different color in a recent ad, then the ad disappeared. I remember thinking, “Wow, that’s gross.”)

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