Monday 2 October 2006

USAGE & ABUSAGE

Am I alone in despising the way in which advertising copywriters are constantly trivialising words in the English language whose meaning is far too precious to be tossed idly about in the marketplace?

Here are two current examples from our store cupboard, beginning with Dorset Cereals...

Now, I hate to complain about these people because their products are undeniably scrumptious, but their advertisers taste in hyperbole is a little too rich for my stomach, such as describing the content weight of the package as "750g of unadulterated breakfast pleasure"!

And, if you think that's over the top, then consider the strapline that is actually ON the top of the box...


Tasty? OK... But REAL? And HONEST?

Honestly!

My other current offender is the manufacturer of this brand of toilet tissue that proudly takes for its name a golden word that is all too easily devalued and tarnished without the aid of the loo-roll industry...


FREEDOM?? Freedom to what...? Freedom from what...?

Oh, please!

And, to make matters worse, it is - as it says on the packet - MEADOW GREEN and PERFUMED!

3 comments:

Boris Hiestand said...

you just advertised both brands to all of your readers. I eat Dorset and really like it. And I never leave the house without wiping my bum with Freedom.

I just made it worse.

Brian Sibley said...

Well, at least we're HONEST in expressing our opinions and have the FREEDOM to express them! ;-)

Andrew Glazebrook said...

I really could have done with that the other afternoon after drinking far too much Guinness !! Phew !!!