Once a week, we'll republish a post found in the blogosphere that is just the sort of thing that ought to have been written on Wordlab, if only we were smart enough.
As a rule, permission will not be sought. This would hardly be ganking if we had to get a release signed, now would it? And it probably won't help you get one of your own posts ganked by Wordlab if you send us an email begging for attention. It's "Gank of the Week" not ganking the weak.
On the other hand, we're counting on our readers to help us find great posts about naming and branding or creative wordplay that look like they should have been blogged on Wordlab. So,
please send us recommendations! Something really good, like this one:
Save our slogans
There's the International Database of Corporate Commands. But where's the International Database of Corporate Questions ("Got milk?" "Does she or doesn't she?" "Where's the beef?")? And the International Database of Corporate Statements ("We are driven." "It takes a tough man to make a tender chicken." "Nothing runs like a Deere."), the International Database of Corporate Exclamations ("Look, Ma, no cavities!" "Snap! Crackle! Pop!" "It's Miller time!"), and the International Database of Corporate Descriptive Fragments ("The ultimate driving machine." "The quicker picker upper." "All the news that's fit to print.") Or -- well, you get the idea. The Advertising Slogan Hall of Fame documents some famous ones, and there are other lists here and here and elsewhere, but there's a long tail of more ephemeral slogans that collectively make up a lot of the language we see and hear every day. Is anybody documenting this stuff more systematically? Maybe the Wikipedia will?
This post was ripped off of
Language Log, so give 'em a click to let them know they've been ganked.
Posted by
abnu on Sunday, February 27, 2005 @ 11:55 AM
[
+ ]