The daily existence for most of us is quite humdrum, but within all the daily routine there are opportunities for light relief, research and moments to ponder. Not all of us claim to be at the cutting edge of science to appreciate a new discovery or theorise about how things came to be. Artistically we are not the great creationists of music, art or literature but there is plenty to do in the humblest walk of life to work at a level that suits any of us.
Look a round and take notice of the many notices that litter surfaces. Not for the Lynne Truss punctuation police but simply for the delight and wonder that a few brief words can create.
Let us begin with slogans and company taglines. They both probably evolve from mission statements which used to have a purpose. Their purpose was to force management to make hard decisions about what the company stood for. They are probably well thought out in focus groups surrounded by Perrier water and in a conference venue. After the process of ownership and concord, the generators generally go back to what they were usually doing before.
But the messages are in abundance, not only at the head of correspondence but they are written on shop fronts, entrances to organisations and on their vehicles so this makes for a mobile activity when driving along the nations roads.
Oh, the power vested in so few words. Here are some of the most powerful and effective taglines ever propagated:
Powering People- How? Simply plug them into the mains or create a battery holder about their bodies.
To make people happy
To preserve and improve human life Wallmart. Much formaldehyde to sell?
We try harder Avis
Think different Apple Now I like this. Although it should be an adverb, differently, I think really encourages taking a different slant on things. Very Apple.
Just do it Nike Obviously the result of a long meeting
The art of performance Jaguar
Reach out and touch someone AT&T and risk a slap on the face at least
Fly the friendly skies United Airlines while the USAAF make them unfriendly
Don't leave home without it American Express which is always true whatever it is (your keys, the shopping list……)
The ultimate driving machine BMW Well that’s just showing off. And BMW drivers are a modest bunch
The choice of a new generation Pepsi as they had no choice in actually being here in the first place.
The happiest place on earth Disneyland but count the smiles of the visitors
We love to see you smile McDonalds but don’t copy the staff
Welcome to Scotland and some might say you are!
Which does not really bring me to another observation that is quite fun. Where did logistics come from? And why did it almost become universal?
The magazine Private Eye has for months collected readers’ submissions for another word which, by now, is so ubiquitous that the Eye’s column seems superfluous. The word, gracing many a wall and van panel, is solutions. No time to muse over it. It is everywhere. If something is manufactured or a service is provided then it will deemed a solution.
Logistics is another prominently place word. What happened to haulage or transportation? Well haulage is a slug of a word. Say the word and you can se the ox cart groaning and the tune of Byddlo form Pictures at an Exhibition droning in the background. It’s just not zippy enough. Transportation belongs with the greasy spoon café and lorries. Logistics zings as smart as the livery and uniform of the fleet artics. An altogether pacier word.
Whatever can these two be replaced by? In a past time solutions and logistics had chiefly chemical and military connotations respectively but they now have become universal. Who would have backed it? One company or group must have adopted the word and it has spread. There must be companies who backed the wrong word, costing thousands in resprays.
As with another mass adoption which started out as the promotional gifts of farm suppliers to farmers in the
The phenomenon is spooky.
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