15 words we may or may not thank marketers for
Part of the job as a Creative Marketer is to make a brand stand out. Sometimes this involves an interesting play on words or even the creation of words, sometimes combining them (a "portmanteau"), in order to explain a brand new concept.
Not sure what a portmanteau is? Quire has you covered! –
Here are some to jog your memory:
Breakfast + Lunch = Brunch
Jeans + Leggings = Jeggings
Lion + Tiger = Liger
So, now that we’re all on the same page, let’s delve into the world of advertising portmanteaus that sometimes create confusion, lols, approval and even in some cases, disgust.
However, it should go without saying, but we’re still going to have to say it – as ridiculous as some of these sound, they’ve sometimes been the make or break factor to put brands back on top.
- Marketing + Architecture = Marketecture or Marchitecture
The term is applied to any form of electronic architecture perceived to have been produced purely for marketing reasons. It may be used by a vendor to place itself in such a way as to promote all their strongest abilities whilst simultaneously masking their weaknesses.
- Education + Entertainment = Edutainment
Used as a noun, this was first created for marketing purposes in the 1980s to describe and change the cultural mindset of the negativities toward video game usage, television programmes, or other material, intended to be both educational and enjoyable.
- (Originally) Book + Article, (adapted for modern day) Blog + Article = Barticle
Its original creation referred to an article that became a book, but should just have stayed an article.
Its modern, adapted reference is to a blog post that reads as an article for all intents and purposes.
- Stay + Vacation = Staycation
With reference to a period in which an individual or family stays at home and participates in leisure activities within driving distance of their home. Some staycationers also like to follow a set of rules, such as setting a start and end date, planning ahead, and avoiding routine, with the goal of creating the feel of a traditional vacation.
- Consulting + Agency = Cagency
A very recently coined term (2018) that addresses the changing nature and need of industry both with agencies as well as customers seeking marketing assistance.
- Web + Log = Blog
Did you know that? We needn’t say more about this.
- Video + Blog = Vlog
A blog that’s all about video! Cue the rise of Youtube!
- Blog/ Vlog + Sphere = Blogosphere
Originally used in 1999 as a joke, it was officially introduced into the English Language in 2002. The term implies that blogs exist together as a connected community (or as a collection of connected communities) or as a social networking service in which everyday authors can publish their opinions. Since the term has been coined, it has been referenced in a number of media and is also used to refer to the Internet.
- Blog + Celebrity = Blogebrity
A type of online celebrity made famous through their blogging activities.
Blogebrities can be ranked based on popularity and influence and, like actual celebrities, can even be categorized as A-List down to D-List based on these metrics.
- Mass + Prestige = Masstige
Masstige refers to prestigious products designed to be sold to the masses. This concept has, as of recent been taken on by several luxury car brands, fashion brands and even hotel brands. The allure of Masstige products is that unlike luxury goods that thrive on rarity and exclusivity, fairly luxurious products are now available to the masses at a somewhat affordable rate.
- List + Article = Listicle
A listicle is used as either a list disguised as an article or an article disguised as a list. This new form of information dissemination, was created to combat short attention spans and has become a common feature in online magazines and blogs.
- Advertisement + Editorial = Advertorial
There’s just too much information! Most Colombo based companies are infamous for placing advertorials, i.e a newspaper or magazine advertisement that provides information about a product in the style of an editorial or objective journalistic article.
- Fiction + Commercial = Fictomercial
Like advertorials, a fictomercial features a somewhat perfect balance of product placement and entertainment with a (say it all in one breathe!) great-big-fantastic-backing-story! However, fictomercial rules are usually set by the commissioning company, generally requesting a minimum number of times a product name must be mentioned, as well as strict guidelines for the context in which it can be discussed. Here’s Quire’s latest favourite fictomercial featuring Martin Freeman for Vodafone UK.
- Subversive + Advertising = Subvertising
Subvertising refers to political statements masked as ads that are often satirical in nature and usually require a second look to understand the full extent of this subvertising goal.
- Catvertising = Cats + Advertising
Of course, if you want to get the internet’s attention, you’ve got to have a cat. We’re not surprised this exists, but we are surprised by the number of times a cat video has gone on to "break the internet" as they say. Catvertising, originally started in the form of memes and parody advertising, but has now gone on to become an effective form of influencer marketing and product placement. Whether it’s Snoopy the Cat, Maru, Lil Bub, Colonel Meow or even Grumpy The Cat, the world of advertising has begun to change, one whisker at a time!
