Buzzword bingo (and you can play)
I’m starting a new project for 2019 and, with just a tiny bit of awareness on your part, you can fuel my efforts.
Here’s a list of buzzwords you’ll see in technology and marketing press releases and announcements.
- Robust
- Seamless
- Omnichannel
- Analytics
- Cloud-based
- Comprehensive
- Secure
- Encrypted
- Engagement
- Scalable
- Saas
- Disruption/disruptive
Your contribution?
First, tell me what to add to the list. What meaningless, overblown terms cue you in that the speaker is full of crap? Add you own suggestions in the comments.
Second, I need video for my project. Send me links to your favorite overwrought, buzzword-filled marketing videos. If you’re shy about posting links here, just email them to me at josh @ bernoff.com. Use the words Buzzword Video in the subject line. I’ll send a free signed Writing Without Bullshit book to the first 6 who do that.
I can’t tell you yet what I’ve got planned . . . but I promise that you’ll enjoy it.
Thanks for your help.
Frictionless selling
serverless computing
Platform.
“solution.” As Steve Woodruff wrote in Clarity Wins, “Jargon-terms like ‘solutions’ are the opposite of clear and obvious. If you’ve got that generic word in your business name or tagline, you’ll need to get specific about just what it is that you’re solving with your ‘solutions.’ Otherwise, it’s fog with a side of vagueness.”
My favorite video about buzzwords is Al Yankovic’s parody Mission Statement: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GyV_UG60dD4
Platform
Next-Gen
Frictionless
AI Driven
The Most Secure…
Next level
Agile
Organic, state of the art, game changer, disrupter, innovative, customer centric
How about “committed to”?
Toni,
I couldn’t agree more! Seven months ago, I wrote this to Josh:
“Josh,
“For years, I’ve been annoyed by the BS slogans of the companies and nonprofits that sponsor National Public Radio. Don’t get me wrong: These organizations do good work. I’m paraphrasing from memory now: They are …
letting people chat by video from anywhere to anywhere
helping companies navigate government regulations
building a more just, verdant world
saving the planet, one tree at a time
“Why, then, must they qualify each claim by writing that they or their products and services are …
designed to let people chat by video from anywhere to anywhere
committed to helping companies navigate government regulations
working to build more just, verdant world
committed to saving the planet, one tree at a time
“I get that their writers seem to think, “Everyone else is qualifying their claim, so I guess that’s what I should do, too.”
“And I get that their lawyers and other corporate cowards won’t let them make an unqualified claim.
“But have they given two seconds’ thought to how ludicrous their “committed to” slogan sounds when it’s sandwiched between two similar “committed to” slogans?”
Josh replied that corporate sponsors use “committed to” and “working to” because, as sponsors, not advertisers, they are not allowed to make claims indirectly.
Even if that’s so, it doesn’t excuse the lazy writers who post such drivel to their corporate websites!
Infused A.I.
Infused Experiences
Omnichannel Engagement
Cognitive API
Business Transformation
Digital Transformation
Contextually Rich UX
Next Generation
PaaS
Intelligent Experience DNA (I didn’t make this up!)
“Digital transformation” really winds me up. You could say the same thing for 50 years ago when we moved from using an abacus to a calculator.
I agree. Makes zero sense.
Machine learning
Take a glance at Gartner-approved Sinequa and their AI-powered insight engine, among other catchy phrases
Cadence.
Innovation
Must haves for the list:
Solution
Leverage
Resilient
Cutting-edge
Leading provider
Global leader
Industry-leading
Highly
Fully
Connectivity
Best-in-class/breed
“world-class”
Also, happy to see “game-changing” already suggested… one of my biggest pet peeves.
Please never let me see another person describe themselves as a “thought leader” in any field.
This one appeared in my inbox moments ago: “Sales Enablement Technology”
Oh God. Awful.
Whenever a client or prospect asks to be described as a thought leader, I have the same response. That title cannot be claimed or bought; it must be earned.
This.
http://www.dxc.technology/newsroom/press_releases/111981-csc_launches_next_generation_big_data_platform_as_a_service
“Smart” anything.
https://youtu.be/44rQux8Jfps – compares multi-channel marketing with omnichannel marketing. It even touts omnichannel as seamless.
Or this one: https://youtu.be/2tPOweyq2d0. Lots of words and pictures, most of which have simpler options–use instead of utilize, for example.
We are Concretizing the mosaic of agnostic modular components aligned with agile, cloud, iPaaS, PaaS, SaaS and iOT to come to a best value solution that will monetize the client’s assets.
Frank, where the heck is that gobbledygook coming from?
Not as frequent as in past years, but for a while everything was a “solution.” Still appears from time to time.
Focus Forward – Boundless – Scale able Excellence – Scheduling Preference Formatting
Here are a few that floating around here in Academia……
“And more” – you’ve railed against this one in the past
“Modern” when discussing design.
May not be found in a press release but “Revenue Assurance Analyst” as a job description gave me quite a chuckle
Operationalize. Pretty much all the “izes.”
‘Look at it hrough an xx lens’.
Circle back.
Smash something out.
True North.
Anything that uses “ask” as a noun or “action” as a verb.
[Name Redacted], a Wipro Company helps customers improve Worker & Customer experiences with outcome-oriented consultants who bring the latest digital thinking and unmatched cloud experience. We create actionable strategies that deliver results quickly, and help organizations adapt to a new experience-driven era. We do this by harnessing the power of one of the world’s largest crowdsourcing communities and thousands of pre-built solution accelerators.
We innovated active orchestration, which initiates customer events so our clients can actively and efficiently accelerate customer service to capitalize on buying opportunities when they arise.
The recurring revenue management innovator enterprises turn to monetize their business.
Good grief. I thought that was a ham-handed parody until I found out it was real.