It seems fitting, what with bureaucrats at the Federal Communications Commission getting themselves into a lather about obscenity following the now-infamous Janet Jackson
episode during this year's Super Bowl. Years ago comedian George Carlin made a name for himself with "The Seven Words You Can't Say on Television" (which, in the ensuing years
amid relaxed regulations, is now down to about four or five words). Now comes Andrea Obston's "Eight Words You Can't Say in a Press Release." Obston, president of Andrea Obston
Marketing Communications LLC, a 22-year-old PR firm specializing in crisis communications, has channeled Carlin to come up with eight words she believes that, if avoided, can help
get your release past the media goalposts. (For a related story, see PR NEWS, April 19, 2004.) The reasons stated for keeping these words taboo -- for a press release -- are
provided by Obston:
- Unique: "Everyone thinks their product is unique and you know that they're wrong."
- Breakthrough: "Breaking through what?...This word means absolutely nothing and brings about that much to the party."
- Revolutionary: "Unless you've perfected perpetual motion, cold fusion, or can help me visit the moon, don't tell me your product is revolutionary."
- Cutting Edge: "I think the edge is pretty dull now. It's cut enough stuff in the last 30 years."
- World Class: "If you think really think hard about it, 'world class' doesn't make a heck of a lot of sense in itself, so why should it in your release?"
- State-of-the-Art: "I know somewhere in my basement I have a state-of-the-art toaster from ten years ago."
- Enhancing Shareholder Value: "Isn't that the point of the business in the first place?"
- Cyber-anything: (Terminology most hated by reporters contacted by Obston.) "I think we got the ePoint during the iCyber Bust."
Source: Andrea Obston Marketing Comm.