New marketing term really annoys me.
Backstory
Sometimes, not often, a term or word just really annoys me to pieces. In the past, it was the word "slather" that was at the top of my list. No reason why I dislike it so, I just do.Now the term "branding" or "brand" has moved to the top of my list. People now speak of how to "brand" themselves or their business. It's not a bad word, neither was slather, they are both just words, but, boy, do they tick me off whenever I hear them.
I find this interesting, how I have such a strong reaction to a simple word that has never done anything to me!
by Dragonflower in Six-Word Memoirs on Feb 22, 2013 | 
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Comments
BanjoDan says,
I share your loathing of "branding." I always associate it with cattle.Dragonflower says,
Yes! Cattle. Exactly. The whole cattle mentality too.DynamicDbytheC says,
I am with you on this one. It is so egocentric to talk about oneself as a "brand." But I like slather. Slather, slather, slather.Dragonflower says,
What's that word you're saying, DDC? Say it some more! I can't hear you above the din of the cattle stomping through the backyard. :)marymc says,
I teach branding. (sorry!)Dragonflower says,
marymc! My apologies to you! I have a twitter friend who is a social media advisor. She is always tweeting about branding! She talks a lot about her own special brand too. That's where I developed my distaste for the word. How do you feel about slather? Do you love it as much as DDC does?marymc says,
When you say slather, I immediately see the way I put mustard on a hot dog!Honestly, I can see where the whole branding thing can get annoying. Just do it, don't talk about it! It sounds so self-indulgent. In teaching it, I try to make students aware that the way they present themselves is their brand. So typos matter, appearance matters, first impressions matter. The "Whatev-generation" thinks people my age are too uptight. But, would they want to stay in a hotel where the towels didn't match? What if there was only one pillow on the bed? Details matter.
Dragonflower says,
Oh man, marymc, I completely agree! And I think this is exactly why the term annoys me so much, especially with my twitter friend! When she first started talking about it and sharing workshops she was attending, I was all for it. For the reasons you stated--details matter so much! How you present yourself does matter. Papers stapled neatly in the corner matter, goshdarnit! Finally! I thought to myself.Then "branding" has seemed to curve towards that self-indulgent side. My brand is all about me, me, me. Thus my annoyance. What has interested me is that when my daughter was younger, she also thought I spent way too much time on details. Matching towels, sheets, what's the big deal, mom!?! But, turns out, she was watching and appreciating the end result and now she does care about details and presents herself to the world in a very gracious and appropriate manner. She has very successful events at work and in her personal life because of her attentive care. All those times I said, don't just plop a sleeve of plastic cups on the table for your guests! At least take them out of the wrapper. She always rolled her eyes! But, she was paying attention. Little things do help to make that first time impression and make guests, attendees, etc feel "loved". Anxieties lessen and so much more. So Yay for you, marymc, for teaching this to the Whatev people!
marymc says,
Thank you. I don't know that they listened, but I tried.