Corporate messages seem to pepper our communications. If you’re sending an email, you may see “sent from my iPad” at the bottom; if you’re making a phone call, you might hear an AT&T chime; and there countless advertisements on Google, Skype, and Facebook.
It seems that the only part of the popular communication sphere that isn’t propagated by corporate messages is regular conversation. I’m not talking about interoffice conversation … that’s something completely different. I’m talking about daily conversations.
From what I hear, brand ambassadors do something similar, where they look like they’re casually hanging out at a bar but they’re really pushing Bacardi or Stoli. But that is someone hired to do that job and (for the most part) represent one brand.
Perhaps a new advertising medium that could work for companies is pay per phrase (or, maybe call it paid viral speech) where everyday people, not under the direct employ of companies, use key phrases in regular conversation and get paid in the process. The idea here is that words and phrases such as “proactive,” “synergy,” and “straw man” aren't typically used in daily life but rather corporate settings .... and people aren't being incentivized for using those 'company' words.
So, in a similar fashion, companies can create key catch phrases to be used in normal conversation to help promote their brand(s) and have it make as much sense as "synergy". I’m not sure how it could be tracked. But perhaps when the under the skin tracking implants, like we saw in the Hunger Games, reach critical mass we may have a more effective way to measure successful campaigns.
I’ve given this a little thought and have tried to create a few phrases to start.
- That’s so Apple.
- How Warner Brothers of you.
- Don’t make me go Olive Garden on your ass.
- Hummmmvveeeeee!!!!!! (maybe used when in a roller coaster)
- Gatorade it up
- No Way Band -Aid
- Don't pull a Blackberry
- I'm so Starbucks today
- I need to get all Walgreens
- That worked like Quaker Oats
Admittedly, I don’t know what they all mean. But the rhythm of the phrases sounded appealing. So, draw your own conclusions and feel free to suggest some more. If we can start injecting these into daily culture soon, we are on our way!
