How semantics get in the way of good work. For more on this topic, check out the related blog post http://spcshp.it/douchebaggery

1. Marketing Douchebaggery
Why words get in the way of good work
And how to say what you mean in the workplace
Karina Portuondo, Strategist/Copywriter
@karinaelise8
OCTOBER 2011

2. Hi.
First off - why am I here?
OCTOBER 2011
Karina Portuondo
Strategist/Copywriter
@karinaelise8

4. Bad Advertising.
It’s everywhere. Why?

6. Part 1: The Problem.
A humorous exploration of the words that get in the way

7. SoLoMo
Mobile
Program
Platform
Campaign
360
Omnichannel
IMC
IAT
Big Idea

8. learnings.org
Go here for a crowdsourced of marketing buzzwords. The site will
actually generate an actual bingo board that you print out and play
with your team during a call!

9. Tribal Knowledge
Guruship
Paradigm Shift
The “Admosphere”

10. corporateasfuck.com
Mad libs for mission statements. If you’re writing or saying
anything that sounds like this - try to stop.

11. @industryjargon
These are all real overheard phrases. Making fun of ourselves is the
first step to change.

12. doucheyaccountguy.tumblr.com
Also real overheard phrases from the ad community. At least we
admit we have a problem.

13. Design Taxi’s
Toungue-in-cheek brand glossary.

14. iamtheclient.blogspot.com
A post about planners -- some of the worst offenders when it
comes to overworked words.

15. http://bit.ly/GsTk
A great roast of marketing speak.

16. Part 2: The Solution.
How to say what you mean in the workplace

17. 1. Pretend like you’re talking to your mom.
2. Ask the tough questions.
3. When all else fails, get on the same page.

18. Don’t make
assumptions.
Your mom doesn’t know what CPG stands for. She doesn’t know about transmedia
storytelling or propagation planning. And it’s not because she’s not a smart lady.
She’s just not entrenched in industry BS.

20. Call it like it is.

21. People are people.
Not consumers.
Not users.
Not “momfluentials.”
Just people.

22. Social Sally.
“I love sharing new experiences with my
friends! I am the one they go to for new
trends and advice.”
Jake.
I like to wear fresh kicks and take the
guys to SCHOOL on the court so they
know what’s up.

23. 1. Pretend like you’re talking to your mom.
2. Ask the tough questions.
3. When all else fails, get on the same page.

24. What is a big idea, really?
Big because in the amount of media spend that goes behind it?
Big because of the number of people that’ll see it?
Big because of how new or different it is?
Big because it has the subjective potential to “go viral”?
Big because it can fit other “tactics” inside of the same copy line?
Big because of how much press it’ll get?

25. 1. Pretend like you’re talking to your mom.
2. Ask the tough questions.
3. When all else fails, get on the same page.

26. 1 project. 1 brand.
12 new products being launched.
6 months of planning.
3 different producer hand-offs.
7 team members.
8 clients in the US.
15+ more abroad.
30+ agency partners.
100s of documents.

27. Sometimes the words
don’t matter.
As long as everyone’s
speaking the same
language.

28. Ideal vs. Real
Likely, it won’t be possible to completely avoid
this stuff. A good place to start is to
acknowledge when words are getting in the
way and do a little something about it.
• Make a glossary for the front of a big
presentation.
• Spend the first 5 minutes of a meeting
agreeing to semantics.
• Got any other ideas?

29. If you only remember one thing:
Marketers talk a lot about humanizing brands.
Let’s start by talking to each other like humans.

30. Thanks!

31. PS: We’re hiring.
Technology
User Experience
Design
Strategy
http://www.bigspaceship.com/join-us