Monday 24 September 2007

Just Stop It





This is the work of Adam Crowe who has a remarkably sparky intellect and a feisty can-do attitude (as do all the gang I've met that work at Imagination). He has also developed a brilliantly conceived greasemonkey script that changes the word 'consumer' to 'person/people/public' in Firefox browsers. There is also a Facebook group for likeminded people who have had enough of this derogatory term.

The quicker we drop this deeply patronising word that implies a discernment on the part of our fellow human beings that is bordering on an automaton/amoebic level, the more likely it is that the good folk we fight like hell to secure as customers, might just begin to reciprocate with a little respect for the marketing and advertising business.

Nice one Adam. I'm beginning to feel momentum on this issue.

13 comments:

  1. I agree wholeheartedly, although I'm not adept enough to install the wiodget thing so I'll leave it for a rainy day.

    I remember seeing Stef Calcraft (of Mother fame) at a forum- each time he mentioned consumers I just winced. EVERYone is a consumer - you can't not be nowadays, as the dude who just burned all his stuff so he had to live without brands proved.

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  2. You should see his glare when I use the 'C' word in the office.

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  3. Gah! Just changed the home page of my company site. Great point.

    But... people generated media really doesn't have a good ring to it... ;)

    (Hey. How about allowing anonymous comments dude???? Love having to link to my gmail account. ;) )

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  4. I think the right word Sean is 'participatory media' for people generated media. There's a wiki entry for it so it must be real.

    As for anonymous comments, I still don't get what the problem is. I'll send you a mail my good man.

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  5. Conspicuous consumption is a sign of a society with too much self realisation and not enough concern for the outcome of its actions.

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  6. Yeah, I rewrite everything that comes across my desk, taking out the c word.

    Someone's gotta do it!

    Next step is to articulate consumption as 'conversion'.

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  7. I prefer the term 'mortal' to 'consumer'... it seems more accurate somehow.

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  8. i love the fact that 'the c-word' now refers to a whole different word. [and in my opinion a much more sinister one!]

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  9. Cunt is very specific. Consumer is so wide and patronising. I have now decided to mentally use the word cunt when someone uses the word consumer. It may just ameliorate the situation a little Lauren.

    Then again my own name starts with a C ;)

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  10. I've heard 'participant' bandied around a fair bit recently, and although it has amoebic overtones it does suggest at least (for now) that advertisers consent to the idea that those involved have made a choice to be involved – though I can't help thinking that very soon advertisers will cut 'target market' from their terminology and replace the term with 'non-participants'.

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  11. I've heard the term 'participant' bandied about a fair bit recently and although it has slightly amoebic overtones it does at least suggest (for now) that advertisers consent to the idea that people have some kind of choice of whether they are involved or not – though I can't help thinking that the phrase 'target market' will soon be replaced with 'non-participant' as the stakes get higher and higher.

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  12. Hi Jim. I like citizen content and indiginous content. I don't mind being called a consumer when it comes to information because that enriches us all.

    Of course you're right about the political correctness of the advertising taxonomy getting out of hand but this is a subject I've given a long hard think about and which I still need to write an apologetic post to an agency I did some work for in London. Perhaps I should crack on with it but the volume of stuff I need to write is a little out of control at the moment. Best way really. Thanks for your intelligent comment.

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