In the world of marketing and creative agencies, it’s easy for brands (and the companies serving them) to fall into the trap of using buzzwords that sound smart but mean absolutely nothing. We've heard some real humdingers in our time working within various marketing agencies ourselves before founding our own.
Some real bangers include 'pro-actively innovate', 'supercharge your brand', and 'leading from the front' (sorry, but if you're leading, aren't you already at the front?).
Many businesses and creative agencies use these dreadful phrases in either their own or clients' marketing strategies in an effort to appear cutting-edge. But in reality, they often make their company seem out of touch. Customers often feel daunted to communicate with their agency, and feel as if they need a translation device to understand the gist of what's being said.
The problem with buzzwords
Marketing buzzwords are like the clichés of the business world. They’re overused, watered-down, and, most of the time, mean absolutely nothing. Buzzwords are like verbal crutches, often masking a lack of genuine thought or understanding. If customers don't understand what's being said to them, or sold to them when they hire an agency, it can lead to lost sales and damaged brand credibility.
While it’s important to have industry expertise, customers still want to feel understood. Filling your marketing copy with buzzwords doesn’t make you an authority. In a world where transparency and authenticity are key, relying on jargon gets your brand’s voice lost in the noise.
The worst buzzwords we've heard in creative marketing
Let's take you through some of the worst offenders that we've heard during our time in creative and digital marketing agencies.
“Content is king”
Many years ago, all that mattered was that you had plenty of content out there that search engines could find. That's what used to get you better rankings in Google, as you were seen as an authority on your subject. Now, it's not just about the content itself, but how it's delivered and promoted. Quality content that resolves problems and offers advice to a targeted audience is actually 'King' here.
“Influencer marketing”
With the rise of influencers, this term has been overused to the point of losing all real meaning. Influencer marketing is simply paid promotion, and nothing else.
“Growth hacking”
This term was originally used to describe startup strategies, but it doesn't really mean anything. It was originally a descriptive term for unconventional, fast-paced strategies designed to achieve very quick growth with few resources. But today, it's become a blanket term for pretty much any marketing strategy. It's so vague and gimmicky, who really knows what it means?
“Synergy”
We’ve all heard this one too many times. Synergy, in its original scientific context, means something specific. In business, however, it’s a hollow term used to sound impressive.
“Thought leader”
Everyone from CEOs to content creators now claim to be 'thought leaders'. It's narcissistic at worst, presumptuous at best. It implies that you're not only an expert in your field, but someone who leads others’ thoughts. We prefer the term 'specialist'. And without the mind control, thanks.
Why you should avoid these phrases
Buzzwords are bad for your brand. Rather than being transparent with your clients, you're offering empty words that don't translate into promises. Clients want to see genuine value. And they're not stupid – they can often tell when you're using filler to pad out your communications. Use simple language that speaks directly to them, and be as open as possible.
A little jargon can be good
Not all jargon is bad. You may need to use some industry-specific terms that convey your expertise, but context is everything so that people with no prior knowledge can understand what you're trying to say.
On the other hand, bad jargon includes vague business phrases like “leverage” or “optimize,” which can usually be replaced with simpler, more direct language. These words make your writing sound robotic and detached from reality.
How to communicate without buzzwords
Use plain English
Say what you mean in the most simple terms possible.
Be specific
Customers appreciate clarity. Instead of saying something like 'we supercharge your brand', try saying something like “we can help your brand to boost sales”.
Focus on the customer
Your messaging should always be about solving customer problems, rather than showing off technical vocabulary.
