Are these putrid PR buzzwords polluting your pitches?

Hyperbole might be a necessary evil in public relations and marketing, but you can at least be original. Discard these worn-out clichés in favor of fresher descriptors.

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As a Zillow enthusiast, I appreciate real estate euphemisms. PR buzzwords are another story.

We’ve all seen flowery descriptions describing homes for sale as “cozy” (read: tiny); with a “low-maintenance yard” (probably concrete); or “partial water view” (maybe a dried stream bed). A recent tweet about a “Frank Lloyd Wright-inspired cabin” made me think about the jargon that clutters press releases and business memos in our own business.

As for public relations, far too many tired, empty words are used in news announcements and other content prepared by agencies or their clients. In some cases it’s understandable, perhaps even necessary. When it comes to business software, customers might expect to hear about “end-to-end solutions” or a “suite of scaleable offerings.”

Advertising Week wrapped up recently in New York and, with it, a festival of jargon. In the adtech sector, buzzwords like “monetization” and “engagement” are unavoidable, and terms such as “transparency” and “visibility” have special meaning. (Even worse are the acronyms. If you don’t know what GDPR is and why it’s important to a DMP, then you’re lost.)

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