Bevans Branham on Buzzwords

Buzzwords; we’ve all heard them, and we’re all very familiar with the awkward cringe that comes when we do. Words like innovation and synergy, while once meaningful, have become diluted with popular use and carry less meaning now than they once did.

The same can be said in the Marketing industry. There are plenty of buzzwords that can take an informed presentation or value proposition and make it seem like just another in the mix. Luckily, a recent article published in Ad Age has called out some of these buzzwords, in a hope to save marketers from making the mistake of using them too aggressively.

Chief among them is “disrupt.” The author argues that too many organizations have claimed they plan to “disrupt the status quo.” And while that may be the goal of your company or the message you want to send to customers, it is too vague and lacking significant meaning to really move your message forward. Another one in this category, the author writes, is “game-changing.” So you’re changing the game… but what does that mean?

Authenticity is another word the author argues, is self-defeating. “If you feel like you have to call attention to how real you are, then I’m sorry, your authenticity isn’t authentic enough for me,” he writes. Authenticity comes from the work you’re doing, not necessarily what you say about it.

According to the author, too many companies stress how something is “engrained in the DNA” of their organization. DNA, he argues, has become a buzzword for businesses that want to stress the importance of a positive aspect or trait about their group. Company culture can’t be written or decided upon; company culture simply happens. It changes every day, and can be hard to address. Certainly, the author writes, it can’t be encapsulated in the term “DNA.”

So be on the lookout for these buzzwords in your presentations and propositions. Are there any others that the author missed? Be sure to drop them in the comments below!