June 21, 2005 -- Pete Rivard's May 24th commentary on the marketing collateral materials handed out by many vendors brought mail from readers and vendors alike. Sounds like someone should be doing a sanity check on the words some copywriters are spewing out when describing the products and services available today. So. How do you describe what you do? Or what your company does? Eschewing Obfuscation! Pete Rivard really hit the nail on the head! As someone who is sometimes guilty of obfuscation, after reading your article, I had a good laugh. Thank you for brightening my day! Regards, Linda Stevenson Program Manager Corporate Marketing Services Xerox Corporation -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Pete Rivard's article in ODJ was terrific. I wholeheartedly agree with him and hope that it is heard. How can print providers and vendors communicate with their staff, customers, friends, children, etc, if they are obfuscating? I do a lot of editing for the DPC publications, which sometimes ends up as rewriting, because of all of the "garbage" and double-speak. Joanne Vinyard Director Digital Printing Council and E-Business Council PIA/GATF -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Howling at Gibberish I howled when I read Pete Rivard's article. I, too, feel the marketing gurus have gone too far in "morphing" the English language. I remember how confused I was when, being a chemistry major, I first heard the phrase "solutions provider." To me, a "solution" is one substance, usually a solid, dissolved in a liquid. Perhaps your friendly barmaid would have been better equipped to provide you with a tasty "solution" than a dictionary! Dave Olive Kwik Kopy Printing Cordova, TN 38018 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I forwarded Pete Rivard's essay to the writers at Creo and we howled in recognition. I'm sure you found a few zingers in our press kit as well. Thanks for the reminder. We'll ensure our marketing managers read your words--they sometimes believe those polysyllabic multiphrase concoctions. Here’s to plain writing! Rochelle van Halm Public Relations Manager Creo -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Well said. 'drives me crazy--and I own a consulting company! We're supposed to (unfortunately) understand that gibberish! Your refreshing commentary has buoyed my belief in the industry's survival. Brian Alterio Alterio Associates -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Beautifully said! Now would you please write a few words about acronyms? Best Regards, Hal Baylor NexPress Solutions, Inc. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Outstanding work, Pete. I really enjoyed this article -- one of your most inspired pieces, I think. And, oh so true! Keep up the good work. We enjoy it tremendously. Pat Taylor Proactive Technologies, Inc -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- There are those who continue to look at print as a dying technology and see the trendy terms of marketing as a way of avoiding reality. Most of the trendy terms bandied are the result of pure denial. The death of ink on paper is slow but sure. Would you rather ride a horse or drive a car from New York to Pittsburg. Dressing printing up in the latest fashionable terms does not alter the fact that the patient is dying and there is no cure. People need to face up to reality. Just as there will always be a need for some buggy whips so will there still be a need for some printing. The heyday of printing as a major method of communication is over. Bob Waldron Chameleon Graphical Solutions