We all remember the bits of wisdom our parents shared with us in the hope of correcting their bad genes through good upbringing. One such piece of wisdom, from my mother, has stayed etched in my memory to this day: – Swearing is only allowed for whores and ladies. –
The only problem is that I didn’t turn out to be either a lady or a whore, but rather a marketer. (Which, when I think about it, is actually a hybrid of both.)
So what now? Can I swear like a marketer? Is linguistic vulgarity allowed in the creative industry?
And why not?
OK, we know there are certain censorship mechanisms when it comes to platforms, algorithms, internal, regulatory, and legal policies… but here we raise the issue of social censorship.
Anger as an emotion has never been censored in advertising, but one of its characteristics, swearing, is self-censored. I don’t know how you get angry in your everyday life, but I seriously doubt that a – Beeeeeep – effect comes out of your mouth at that moment.
Language is fluid and subjective. What is fun for Stacey from San Diego may not be acceptable to Slavica from Pakrac.
Also, my grandmother was once shocked at how our neighbor Mira left her husband Vlatko, while my ovaries as a 37 year old are drying up like a correction fluid in a school assignment.
Time takes its toll.
But we already know all that. Sex sells, and big brands have already made their mark in the world. The real question is whether Slavica from Pakrac will buy or toss the chocolate bar if she reads – Take a fucking break! – on the ad.
Before you let your tongue loose, think about Slavica…
WHAT SLAVICA MIGHT LIKE?
The surprise effect
It may be a cheap trick, but it seems that the recent Pythagoras campaign has proven how much impact and free PR can be squeezed out thanks to the shock factor.
This trick has a shelf life, it’s already been seen, so I would suggest you start cursing as soon as possible.
Slavica wants to be different
The target is narrow, but if you aim for a specific psychographic profile, for example, a business seniority that reads “The Art of War” and “The 48 Laws of Power” and eats rocks for breakfast while wanting everyone to know it – it could work.
Ambitious, highly educated, and with greater purchasing power, they are often less sensitive to direct communication than the broader population. In fact, they wear it like a badge of honor.
Check this for example, Ovation Belgrade had the guts and courage to launch such a Movember campaign.
Authenticity and passion
If we say that our ultimate goal is to awaken emotion, symbols like $%@! and sound elements such as – beep – personally communicate only fear and insincerity to me.
Write as you speak, swear how you feel. If you feel that you shouldn’t, give it up.
Vulgarity in language is like salt in food. If you over-salt a dish, your blood pressure will rise; if you under-salt it, you’ll end up with a bland taste.
WHAT SLAVICA MIGHT NOT LIKE?
Target
Swearing is defined by class, geography, and time. Slavica will say that it’s rude, while Tom Gotovac will write: “I don’t give a fuck.” “God damn it, this is Croatia.” and with those statements, sign and exhibit a series of graphics from 1991.
If you’re confident that you can read your audience well, go wild.
Brand identity
Although there are more and more brands like this, especially in digital communication, there is a high likelihood that vulgarity will not align with the brand’s values.
Who knows, maybe in the future customer service will answer the phone with: – What the fuck do you want now? – (which isn’t far from the existing communication).
Shares and Sharing
Stacey from San Diego might find the ad funny, but her mother won’t. So she probably won’t share it, and neither will your boss share that bonus with you when the results don’t come in.
Well, as we have already mentioned, read your audience. While Croatians might not hit share, Slovenians obviously will.
Look, the “Sranje” (“Shit”) campaign is a great example.
Sell it to your boss/client
Good luck.
I don’t know about you, but I find advertisements where the woman is always the one cooking and taking the kids to daycare, more offensive than swearing. Maybe I’m the problem?
Ah my dear Slavica…
