After decades in the ad world, I’ve come to a depressing conclusion: most marketers don’t write anymore, they recycle. They don’t create language; they repeat it. Every time a buzzword pops up, the herd stampedes. Suddenly everyone’s “leveraging synergy” to “move the needle” with “innovative solutions.”
The result?
A chorus of copy that sounds like it was written by the same committee, for the same client, in the same beige conference room.
We used to write to move people.
Now we write to sound like everyone else who’s “disrupting” something. The industry that prides itself on originality has become addicted to imitation.
Let’s be honest. If your brand’s voice sounds like every other press release on LinkedIn, you’re not building trust; you’re putting your audience to sleep. Words like unique, innovative, authentic, and cutting-edge are so worn out they should be retired with honors and a gold watch.
When everything is “world-class,” nothing is. When everyone’s a “thought leader,” no one is.
The problem isn’t that we’ve run out of words. It’s that we’ve run out of effort. Buzzwords are easy. Real writing takes guts. It takes the discipline to throw out the fluff and say what you mean. It’s what separates a professional from a pretender.
Here’s how to start sounding alive again:
Be brutally clear…
If you mean “use,” don’t say “leverage.” If you mean “talk,” don’t say “circle back.” Clarity cuts through faster than cleverness.
Show proof…
Don’t tell me your product is “revolutionary.” Show me what it does that no one else can. If it truly changes the game, the facts will make that obvious. No buzzword required.
Write like a person, not a pitch deck…
Your audience isn’t an algorithm. They’re human beings. Talk to them like one. Ditch the PowerPoint tone and write like you’d say it out loud.
Kill the clichés…
“Content is king.” “Next level.” “One-stop shop.” These phrases are fossils from a time when people still thought “synergy” was exciting. If you hear yourself saying them, stop.
Earn your adjectives…
You can’t declare yourself “authentic.” You prove it. You don’t call yourself a “thought leader.” You earn it by saying something worth following.
Here’s the thing. Words shape how people see your brand. And when you fill your language with the same mush everyone else uses, you flatten your identity. You sound safe, not strong. The best copy isn’t about shouting louder; it’s about speaking truer.
Because in an industry obsessed with “disruption,” the most disruptive thing you can do today is simple: write like you mean it.
Joe Bouch
CEO, 78Madison
78Madison is a full-service marketing communications firm (advertising agency) located in Orlando (Winter Springs) Florida. Let’s start a conversation. jbouch@78madison.com