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10 MARKETING PHRASES
that have
Every industry falls prey to jargon, but there’s
something about the world of marketing that
makes certain phrases irresistible. We
promise ourselves we won’t… but before we
know it we’re “pinging” people about
“bandwidth” and saying it’s “on our radar.”
Follow along for 10 marketing phrases we
think have really jumped the shark.
1
Scalable
If “scalable” were a drinking
game, none of us would leave
the conference room sober.
Unfortunately, a single word
that conveys “being flexible
enough to grow from 10 to
10,000,000” is unlikely to go
away any time soon.
Understand what it means, and
amuse yourself by pretending to
drink whenever you hear it.
HINT
2
Innovative Solutions
A quick Google search
reveals more than 13
million websites with
this exact phrase. Bonus
jargon points if you’re
using the phrase “deliver
innovative solutions.”
“Solutions” is vague, and
“innovative” means the opposite if
everyone else is using it. Find a more
specific way to say what you do.
HINT
3
Move the needle
Question: What do
marketing and
seismology have in
common? Answer:
NOTHING. We just
need to stop already.
While we’re at it, can we also get rid
of “gain traction?” Old-fashioned
words like “progress” and “change”
will do just as well.
HINT
4
Actionable insights
Want to learn how to turn people into zombies?
Just utter the words, “We provide actionable
insights” and watch your audience’s eyes glaze
over—in “real time.” A cousin to #2 on our list,
“actionable insights” is another marketing
phrase that has been used so much that it’s
become practically meaningless.
Instead of tossing out this
tiresome phrase, explain
how you work your magic.
HINT
5
Next Generation
Remember the phrase “2.0?”
Remember how it was so cool and
clever to say something was “______
2.0,” and then one day you woke up
and thought, “If I hear ‘2.0’ once
more I’m going to be sick?”
We’ve reached that point with
“next generation.” The choice is
easy: move on or prepare for puke.
HINT
6
Leverage
Borrowed from the physics
world (think “levers”),
marketers have permanently
corrupted this term. It’s now
a verb meaning “to maximize
an opportunity.” (i.e. “We
need to leverage those new
social follows.”).
TBH, we find ourselves relying on this
chestnut from time to time, but we’ve
tried to banish it from emails and written
work—and we recommend doing the same.
HINT
7
Bandwidth
If “bandwidth” were an
animal, it would be a
squirrel: clever and cute
and impossible to
eradicate. Once you start
using this word to
describe whether or not
you have the resources for
a new project, it’s almost
impossible to stop.
An absolute no-no for anything
outside of texts or email.
HINT
8
Thought leader
Today, declaring yourself a
"thought leader" is like
wearing pleated khakis: it
dates you—and not in the
"I'm-paying-for-dinner" way.
It's OK to use this phrase to rank for SEO
or explain how you help others—but banish
it from all self-descriptions, including
resumes, websites, and profiles.
HINT
9
Low-hanging fruit
We're picking the fruit. We're biting
into the fruit. We're spitting it out
because the metaphor's rotten and
potentially NSFW.
Unless you’re about to pick apples,
just say “great opportunity.”
HINT
10
Jump the shark
This phrase comes from an
episode of Happy Days where
Fonzie (on waterskies) jumps
over a shark—a stunt seen as a
lame attempt to attract viewers.
Today, it describes something
that was once quality but is now
in decline, or someone that is
perceived as “trying too hard.”
(i.e. “Has Apple jumped the
shark with the iPhone 8?”).
Using the phrase “jumped the shark” in a
piece about overused marketing phrases
might actually be jumping the shark.
But we’re not sure.
HINT
hello@quatraincreative.com
What can we create for you?
www.quatraincreative.com

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10 Marketing Phrases that have Jumped the Shark

  • 2. Every industry falls prey to jargon, but there’s something about the world of marketing that makes certain phrases irresistible. We promise ourselves we won’t… but before we know it we’re “pinging” people about “bandwidth” and saying it’s “on our radar.” Follow along for 10 marketing phrases we think have really jumped the shark.
  • 4. If “scalable” were a drinking game, none of us would leave the conference room sober. Unfortunately, a single word that conveys “being flexible enough to grow from 10 to 10,000,000” is unlikely to go away any time soon.
  • 5. Understand what it means, and amuse yourself by pretending to drink whenever you hear it. HINT
  • 7. A quick Google search reveals more than 13 million websites with this exact phrase. Bonus jargon points if you’re using the phrase “deliver innovative solutions.”
  • 8. “Solutions” is vague, and “innovative” means the opposite if everyone else is using it. Find a more specific way to say what you do. HINT
  • 10. Question: What do marketing and seismology have in common? Answer: NOTHING. We just need to stop already.
  • 11. While we’re at it, can we also get rid of “gain traction?” Old-fashioned words like “progress” and “change” will do just as well. HINT
  • 13. Want to learn how to turn people into zombies? Just utter the words, “We provide actionable insights” and watch your audience’s eyes glaze over—in “real time.” A cousin to #2 on our list, “actionable insights” is another marketing phrase that has been used so much that it’s become practically meaningless.
  • 14. Instead of tossing out this tiresome phrase, explain how you work your magic. HINT
  • 16. Remember the phrase “2.0?” Remember how it was so cool and clever to say something was “______ 2.0,” and then one day you woke up and thought, “If I hear ‘2.0’ once more I’m going to be sick?”
  • 17. We’ve reached that point with “next generation.” The choice is easy: move on or prepare for puke. HINT
  • 19. Borrowed from the physics world (think “levers”), marketers have permanently corrupted this term. It’s now a verb meaning “to maximize an opportunity.” (i.e. “We need to leverage those new social follows.”).
  • 20. TBH, we find ourselves relying on this chestnut from time to time, but we’ve tried to banish it from emails and written work—and we recommend doing the same. HINT
  • 22. If “bandwidth” were an animal, it would be a squirrel: clever and cute and impossible to eradicate. Once you start using this word to describe whether or not you have the resources for a new project, it’s almost impossible to stop.
  • 23. An absolute no-no for anything outside of texts or email. HINT
  • 25. Today, declaring yourself a "thought leader" is like wearing pleated khakis: it dates you—and not in the "I'm-paying-for-dinner" way.
  • 26. It's OK to use this phrase to rank for SEO or explain how you help others—but banish it from all self-descriptions, including resumes, websites, and profiles. HINT
  • 28. We're picking the fruit. We're biting into the fruit. We're spitting it out because the metaphor's rotten and potentially NSFW.
  • 29. Unless you’re about to pick apples, just say “great opportunity.” HINT
  • 31. This phrase comes from an episode of Happy Days where Fonzie (on waterskies) jumps over a shark—a stunt seen as a lame attempt to attract viewers. Today, it describes something that was once quality but is now in decline, or someone that is perceived as “trying too hard.” (i.e. “Has Apple jumped the shark with the iPhone 8?”).
  • 32. Using the phrase “jumped the shark” in a piece about overused marketing phrases might actually be jumping the shark. But we’re not sure. HINT
  • 33. hello@quatraincreative.com What can we create for you? www.quatraincreative.com