The Turner Ink blog contains rants, bloopers, observations and opinions. It also has handy tips on grammar and punctuation such as colons: semicolons; and full stops. As well as some very useful ‘how tos’. Feel free to leave comments. Be nice though.
Continuing our occasional series where we look at the reasons why techie types shouldn’t be allowed to write copy. Hmmmm. So what is it you do exactly?
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Tags: bad copy, jargon
Posted in Bloopers, Copywriting, Website & SEO copywriting | 
2 Comments »
Clearing out some old magazines and newspapers this week, I came across this great little ad from Hiscox, a UK based insurance company.
The ad explains how they believe in straightforward jargon-free policies and how they’re committed to using plain English. Hooray. Couldn’t we all do with a bit of plain ol’ English from our insurance companies?
Now I don’t about you, but when I come to renew my contents insurance I’ll probably give these guys a buzz.
Check out their website as well. Good stuff.
Tags: headlines, jargon
Posted in Copywriting | 1 Comment »
I hate the word solution. I really do. It’s now so over-used it has lost all its meaning. Lunch solutions? Right. That would be a sandwich then. Or how about plumbing solutions? Got it. You’re a plumber. Or spotted on a bin in Glasgow the other weekend: ‘Providing refuse solutions’.
But my favourite, seen on a website this week, ‘Contemporary quality solutions to light control’. Yes people. We are talking about a blind.
And why we’re at it turn-key is really awful as well. As is one-stop shop. And the word user. The one-stop shop for turnkey solutions for users. Good grief.
Even Wikipedia agrees. Here’s what they say.
The word solution should be confined to its use in chemistry, mathematics and problem solving. It should not be used to refer to products, services, software or a combination of these things, since such usage implies that the product or service solves the problem it is intended to solve: the word “solution” should instead be replaced by a concrete descriptive term for the type of product, such as “software”. Solution often is used simply as a buzzword that can be eliminated altogether with no loss of meaning
Dubious use:
- “The company offers web hosting solutions for e-business…” Instead say “The company offers web hosting for e-business…” (if that is what it does).
Acceptable use:
- “A solution of sodium chloride in water…”
- “The solution to the chess problem involves the sacrifice of the knight…”
Tags: business bull, jargon, solution
Posted in Business writing, Copywriting | 5 Comments »
Business bull, buzzword bingo, biz speak and jargonese. Consultants and senior management love them. Copywriters hate them. Here are some overused phrases currently being banded about the boardroom (and a light-hearted look at what they really mean!)
1. Blue Sky thinking: You have our permission to come up with something really craaaaaazy. We will probably ignore you anyway.
2. Going forward: Let me tell you what you’re going to do next.
3. Low-hanging fruit: Tackle the easy stuff first. Procrastinate about the rest.
4. Joined up thinking: For once we are actually going to consider something thoroughly before making a decision.
5. Mission critical: Screw this up and your P45 is in the post.
6. Pro-active: Let’s retaliate first.
7. Touch base: Email, messenger or text someone. Or if the worst comes to the worst – actually speak to them.
Tags: business bull, jargon
Posted in Business writing | No comments yet »
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