Clichés: Are they that bad?
I’m really not a fan of clichés.
I’d like to think not many things mark me out as a stereotypical writer. I don’t get that hung up about grammar mistakes for one.
I couldn’t give you a list of 50 pieces of classic literature that I’ve read (my degree failed me, clearly) and unlike a lot of copywriters, I’m not really that fond of biscuits...
This was written on a mac in a coffee shop though… So, there’s that.
But one writer cliché, that I do fulfil, is that I thoroughly dislike clichés. When I see them in writing I can’t help but shudder.
Think outside the box
No-brainer
Bells and whistles
Out of sight, out of mind
One stop shop
A stone’s throw away
Happy as Larry
I could go on…
If I realise I’ve mistakenly added one to my own writing, there’s tearing of clothes and gnashing of teeth before I hastily scratch it from the face of my word document.
Ok, it’s not that bad. But if you do ever see one in my writing, forgive me.
Good coffee
I just want better. Part of the reason I go to coffee shops is because although I could make instant coffee at home, I know there’s more to the world of coffee than Nescafé gold.
(I do have a coffee machine at home, so technically speaking this isn’t true, but you get my drift.)
A barista makes good quality coffee with the freshly ground beans available to them. Different kinds of beans have a different origin and are roasted in different ways all contributing to a unique flavour and a more satisfying drink.
They wouldn’t stoop to give you anything less as a paying customer. After all it wouldn’t reflect well on them.
Instead of coffee beans, I deal in the English language. And just like someone who appreciates good coffee, I turn my nose up when I see the English language being repackaged and distributed in cheap boring, tasteless packages.
Having said that, you can’t deny the convenience of instant coffee and clichés. Whilst I don’t like clichés, I have to admit as a copywriter they present a bit of a conundrum.
I’m not an artist
Clichés happen when a good, original idea gets overused. Or rather an easy solution to a problem is so easy, that everybody uses it.
They’re phrases and idioms so deeply embedded in our language and culture that they have become the most common way of communicating a particular idea.
As a creative writer this is hard to stomach. Words when wielded with flair can be a beautiful thing. They have the power to make things happen and make people think differently.
*Cough* The pen is mightier than the sword, after all.
That’s why copywriting is such an in-demand skill. It’s definitely a creative job. And the best in the business are, generally speaking, the most creative.
But it isn’t writing for writings sake. It has a fairly straightforward purpose. My job is not to win prizes and awards, although the marketing industry has plenty of those.
My job is to persuade somebody to part with their money, their attention or their time. But mostly their money.
You could argue that if the ultimate purpose of copywriting is to move an audience to action, then clichés are a pretty good way to do that, because they’ll probably do a good job of communicating what it is you’re trying to say.
Is it just me?
It is possible that it’s only us writers that get worked up about clichés. When I see a cliché in marketing and brand copy, it honestly puts me off the brand.
It comes across as unimaginative, boring and in some cases cringeworthy. But maybe that’s just me.
Maybe your average reader just reads it and the idea that they’re trying to communicate comes across loud and clear.
But I’m not entirely convinced.
The problem with most clichés is that they blend in. They’re so ubiquitous that people simply won’t even notice them. I actually want to give the general public the benefit of the doubt.
I think when most people see clichés, they too have a little yawn. And even if that’s not the case I reckon the most common result is that there’s no reaction at all.
Just like a cup of instant coffee, it’s so routine, that they barely notice.
It’s words on a page. It fills space. And to be fair that’s what some people think a copywriter’s job is. It sometimes is.
Generally speaking though, that’s not what people pay me for.
My job is to stop people in their tracks (a cliché probably). To stop the scroll and make people pay attention to whatever brand or business I’m writing for.
Not put them off or confuse them but be original and intriguing enough that it makes them take notice.
So, I’m going to continue finding alternatives to clichés; striving to be original but not peculiar, dynamic but down to earth; finding the sweet spot between avant-garde and dull as dishwater (definitely a cliché).