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3.5 Vocabulary & Language

The words we use, and the ones we don't

Brand Book / 3.5 Vocabulary & Language
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Words we don't say

We don't jargon. We don't buzzword. We don't oversell.

Word / phrase Why, and what to do instead
"Disruptive" Overused and vague. Say what actually changed.
"Empower" Show the empowerment instead of claiming it.
"Game-changing" Describe the actual change.
"Authentic" If you have to say it, you're not being it.
"Innovative" Unless you can prove it with a specific example.
"Synergy" Just say what works together and why.
"Leverage" Say "use".
"Scalable" Say what scales and how.
"Best-in-class" Says nothing. Show the evidence.
"Human-centred" What else would it be? Be more specific.
"Thought leadership" Just write the thought.
"Holistic" Too vague. Name the specific components.

Words and phrases we use

Term Usage
Designed participation Our framework. The anchor of everything we build.
Audience transformation Sales and pitch context for what designed participation achieves.
Interactive Our category.
Earn attention Not "capture" or "grab".
Hold it The second part of the promise.
A different standard Our tagline.
By default Used sparingly to reinforce our philosophy.
Build / built We build things. We don't "craft", "curate", or "elevate".
On this page
  • Words we don't say
  • Words and phrases we use
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3.4 Writing Style Guide

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