Ken Richman's Blogfolio

This week’s word: Lighter

Leggera. Now, what could this be all about? Have the food science boffins at Pizza Express invented a remarkable new lighter kind of dough that somehow has fewer calories yet retains the same delicious taste? Not exactly. Instead they have hit on the idea of cutting a big hole out of the middle of your pizza, then camouflaging it on your plate by brushing some salad leaves over it so you don’t see what’s missing. It reminds me of a jungle man-trap from a Tarzan movie. Your knife and fork mysteriously disapper into the vegetation and when you rake around for some solid ground, there’s nothing there. (continue reading…)

The English language is evolving all the time.

Listening to the radio this morning and a man was praising something, but instead of saying “I can’t fault it”, he came out with “I can’t fault it enough”.

He was trying just a bit too hard to get his point over, and ended up saying the opposite.

This happens all the time in advertising. It’s easy to convey exactly the opposite of what you set out to do. And I don’t mean the restaurant sign that says “If you think our waiters are rude, you should see the manager.” (continue reading…)

A good friend drew my attention to this bus advertising creative competition from CBS Outdoor and asked me if I would consider voting for the prostate cancer charity ad. It’s a good ad, it’s a very good cause and I am more than happy to vote for it. If it runs I just hope the brand guidelines permit them to make the typography more eye catching as for me, it’s getting a bit lost . (continue reading…)

This week’s word: Extra.

Which is the better offer: 25% free or 25% extra free?

‘Extra’ sounds tempting, doesn’t it – but it’s there to rob you. Let’s say it’s a cake. Adding in the word ‘extra’ means the percentage quoted refers not to the cake in front of you, that you might buy, but to a smaller cake that’s probably not on sale in the same store, that you can’t buy. (continue reading…)

I can’t think of anything I could write that would beat watching this! So instead of a rant, enjoy…

BMW have got up the noses of a great many pedants with their strapline ‘Less emissions. More driving pleasure.’ Shouldn’t it be fewer emissions, not less? Probably. But you can hear the writer having a hissy fit about wanting to keep less and more, because they go together better. Either way, it’s not good. (continue reading…)

To promote 3Com’s range of network security products, a viral campaign was created consisting of emails (subject line: Watch this guy go) and an embedded movie featuring a cheeky thief caught on CCTV while a security guard sleeps. Several version were made. Here’s one of them that turned up on YouTube, and someone’s thoughtfully added a music track (not ours!)

Through Draft London

A  well-crafted piece of spam is an absolute joy to receive. So why do so many spammers cut corners and do without the services of a qualified proofreader? Somebody should give them the contact email for NABS. But I expect they have it already.

And here perhaps is the answer : The 3rd Annual Nigerian Email Conference, full of tips for improving your spam offering.

Every week I’ll be introducing a different weasel word: one which in advertising copy has a slightly different interpretation, and I’ll be giving you its true definition.

This week’s word: Promise

This is what you say when you want to imply ‘guarantee’, but the legal department is all over you like a swarm of blackfly if you so dare. For example: Price promise. “Our prices are the cheapest on the high street. That’s our promise to you.” (continue reading…)