mmanion
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« on: November 22, 2007, 02:23:22 PM » |
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Got a giggle from Thomas Bartlett's article on "branding" education. I was unaware of emphasis educational institutions put on defining themselves with snappy one-liners and he opened my eyes to a whole new world of awful slogans. This is a very timely topic in our home, since my son and I were just discussing how bad many corporate slogans are right now. So many of them feel unfinished somehow, J.C. Penney's new "Every Day Matters" campaign. I keep wanting to them to tell us why, or to whom, etc. Another one that irritates me is Pella's "Viewed to be the Very Best." I'm sure whoever came up with that gem considers him/herself a genius, but we've concluded in our household that, while this phrase is most likely grammatically correct, it is awkward and sort of annoying, at least to us. On the other hand, because it annoys me I remember it and maybe that's the whole point. The other really irritating "branding" trend is trademarking sayings or icons that have been in the public domain for decades or even centuries. I work in the medical field, specifically with respiratory disease and am amazed by the things private companies are allowed to trademark. A respiratory device manufacturer was actually able to trademark the slogan "so everyone can breathe a little easier," even though that concept has been in the public domain from time immemorial. Another example is Target Corp. which trademarked the bullseye, and has aggressively defended this trademark in court despite the fact that visual representations of the concept of "bullseye" are clearly part of the public domain. I think we have an intellectual property culture run amok and while everyone's in a race to brand and trademark themselves, we'll be forced to endure stupid slogans. I sure hope this is just a phase. |
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« Last Edit: December 05, 2007, 04:17:08 PM by moderator »
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see_wolf
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« Reply #1 on: November 22, 2007, 04:45:06 PM » |
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I think we have an intellectual property culture run amok and while everyone's in a race to brand and trademark themselves, we'll be forced to endure stupid slogans. I sure hope this is just a phase.
I don't think it is a phase. I believe just about everything that can be trademarked (and things we can't believe could be trademarked - such as a bulleye) will be. Geesh - even sport contests are brought to you by Sponsor from the Sponsor-sponsor Jr arena... |
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dr_stones
We broke a six-pack in the store to get just one
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пошлите законоведами пушки и деньг
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« Reply #2 on: November 22, 2007, 08:53:48 PM » |
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All the Football You Can Eat for $65,000.
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"History does not repeat itself, but it does rhyme." Samuel "Steroid Free" Clemens
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conjugate
Compulsive punster and insatiable reader, and
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Posts: 17,026
Tends to have warped sense of humor
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« Reply #3 on: November 23, 2007, 11:53:36 AM » |
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I sure hope this is just a phase.
I regret to inform you that I have trademarked the phrase, "this is just a phase." You and the estate of Benjamin Spock will be hearing from my lawyers shortly. Just kidding, in case that wasn't obvious. (The expression just kidding in the previous sentence fragment is a registered trademark and used here without permission. The expression in case that wasn't obvious likewise.) |
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Unfortunately, I think conjugate gives good advice.
∀ε>0∃δ>0∋|x–a|<δ⇒|ƒ(x)-ƒ(a)|<ε |
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dr_stones
We broke a six-pack in the store to get just one
Distinguished Senior Member
Posts: 5,445
пошлите законоведами пушки и деньг
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« Reply #4 on: November 23, 2007, 12:55:21 PM » |
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I sure hope this is just a phase.
I regret to inform you that I have trademarked the phrase, "this is just a phase." You and the estate of Benjamin Spock will be hearing from my lawyers shortly. Just kidding, in case that wasn't obvious. (The expression just kidding in the previous sentence fragment is a registered trademark and used here without permission. The expression in case that wasn't obvious likewise.) Glad to see that you're being fair and balanced. |
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"History does not repeat itself, but it does rhyme." Samuel "Steroid Free" Clemens
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dogvomit
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« Reply #5 on: November 29, 2007, 09:24:25 AM » |
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All the Football You Can Eat for $65,000.
Even worse... "all you CARE to eat" That was one on an ad for a smörgåsbord near in my home town. I ate there and don't CARE to again. It was a running joke for quite a while. |
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aandsdean
I feel affirmed that I'm truly a 6,000+ post
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« Reply #6 on: November 29, 2007, 09:28:49 AM » |
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All the Football You Can Eat for $65,000.
Even worse... "all you CARE to eat" That was one on an ad for a smörgåsbord near in my home town. I ate there and don't CARE to again. It was a running joke for quite a while. There's a chain of Mexican restaurants (can't remember what they're called) that had an outlet in the town where I went to grad school. I grew up in L.A. with a lot of truly good Mexican restaurants around, both fancy and like diners, and so I was and remain pretty critical about Mexican food. At the time, this restaurant's slogan was: "Guadalupe's [not the real name]: When you're feeling a little bit Mexican." Our reply: "But just a little." |
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Wearing a black armband for Lucy
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daniel_von_flanagan
<redacted>
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Works all day. Posts all night. Needs sleep.
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« Reply #7 on: November 29, 2007, 04:07:34 PM » |
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Until maybe 7 or 8 years ago, no university was wasting time on changing its motto or seal. Now everyone is doing it. I would love to be a fly on the wall at one of those annual "university chief operating officer" meetings, where they evidently all decide on this crap as a group, and where the presentation titles must be things like,
"Icons and mottos: why they need to look and sound like your wealthy alumni's children came up with them;"
not to mention
"Useless new buildings: how to leave an indelible stamp on your campus in the short time before you leave or get fired;"
and
"How to open admissions, increase student/faculty ratios, and complain about lengthening graduation times, all at the same time and with a straight face;"
and
"Fake college credentials or a plagiarized PhD dissertation: which is more appropriate for a university president?"
- DvF
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The U.S. Education Department is establishing a new national research center to study colleges' ability to successfully educate the country's growing numbers of academically underprepared administrators.
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georgia_guy
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« Reply #8 on: November 29, 2007, 04:11:30 PM » |
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Kentucy Fried University
We do education right!
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I'm the bad guy? How'd that happen
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conjugate
Compulsive punster and insatiable reader, and
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Posts: 17,026
Tends to have warped sense of humor
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« Reply #9 on: November 29, 2007, 06:07:45 PM » |
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I think it would be great to have a school with a motto like "Book Larnin' in the Boondocks."
"Uncle Poody's Institution of Higher Learning and BBQ Palace: Git All Cultured-Up."
"Not as good as Harvard, but a lot more fun."
"No pain, no gain; just a lot of homework."
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Unfortunately, I think conjugate gives good advice.
∀ε>0∃δ>0∋|x–a|<δ⇒|ƒ(x)-ƒ(a)|<ε |
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dogvomit
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« Reply #10 on: November 29, 2007, 09:08:02 PM » |
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All the Football You Can Eat for $65,000.
Even worse... "all you CARE to eat" That was one on an ad for a smörgåsbord near in my home town. I ate there and don't CARE to again. It was a running joke for quite a while. There's a chain of Mexican restaurants (can't remember what they're called) that had an outlet in the town where I went to grad school. I grew up in L.A. with a lot of truly good Mexican restaurants around, both fancy and like diners, and so I was and remain pretty critical about Mexican food. At the time, this restaurant's slogan was: "Guadalupe's [not the real name]: When you're feeling a little bit Mexican." Our reply: "But just a little." I KNOW THAT ONE! :P |
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pcferg
One star means I'm special...
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« Reply #11 on: November 29, 2007, 10:06:05 PM » |
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A friend from Philadelphia always laughed at Rolling Rock Beer's new(ish) slogan, "As Good As it Ever Was."
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aandsdean
I feel affirmed that I'm truly a 6,000+ post
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Posts: 6,641
Positively impactful on stakeholder synergies
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« Reply #12 on: November 29, 2007, 10:17:20 PM » |
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A friend from Philadelphia always laughed at Rolling Rock Beer's new(ish) slogan, "As Good As it Ever Was."
I cannot recommend that slogan highly enough. |
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Wearing a black armband for Lucy
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spork
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« Reply #13 on: November 30, 2007, 11:23:01 AM » |
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From the article, the informal U of Chicago motto of "where fun goes to die" made me laugh out loud.
One of my alma mater's informal mottos, also a reference to the school's colors: blood on concrete.
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a.k.a. gum-chewing monkey in a Tufts University jacket
"Please do not force people who are exhausted to take medication for hallucinations." -- Memo from the Chair, Department of White Privilege Studies, Fiork University
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finallyfullprof
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« Reply #14 on: December 01, 2007, 02:32:42 PM » |
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Spouse attended Southern Illinois University. Their motto is "Deo volente" (God willing). Insert your own joke here.
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