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Ask HN: Does anyone else get more confused with marketing buzz-word hell?

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Re: Ask HN: Does anyone else get more confused with marketing buzz-word hell?

#11

Post by Awelton »

Froedlich wrote: post #9

I periodically hit pages where I can't tell what a vendor's product does. Or I already know what it does, but it's so full of buzzwords, trademarked terminology, and bafflegab I'm lost. VMWare's web site was a good example of that, last I bothered to look at it. If a product is promoted as a "solution", that normally indicates it's over-priced, under-featured and not worth looking at further. There are still a few co…

I also went through the "no price" dance when I went shopping for a new program for my company. Every website for the dozen or so companies that made software for it had no pricing, a webform to fill out so a salesman can get back with you, and a free trial that said salesman was supposed to email a key for. I tried to get a trial for all of them and got one email from a salesman that referred me back to the website for a trial key. When I told him the website wouldn't give a key and that it specifically stated that the salesman would contact me with it he promptly stopped responding. So much for "Providing modern solutions for confabuable womperdinks in a global world" or whatever the buzzwords were. Apparently if you aren't a multinational company that they can make bespoke software and group training bucks off of they aren't interested.

Re: Ask HN: Does anyone else get more confused with marketing buzz-word hell?

#12

Post by pastram_i »

paulcole wrote: post #6

Can you give a single example of a buzz-word or a site that includes paragraph after paragraph of “buzz-word hell”? Odds are it’s that you are playing dumb and really think you’re much smarter than the person who wrote the page and you also don’t have much respect for marketing work.

In all fairness I provided that as a possible reason; I respect that it's a legitimate possibility.

The other comments though ensure that they _do_ exist - but they could be in the same scenario, or other people have just come happen to across the ones I have as well.

Not much of the initial conversation but I do think I have respect for marketing work, but I've a preference for different methods in that work. I would assume the versions I don't care much of come more from people far from the tool/service itself and higher up in the chain. But that's an educated guess.

imho - I would just imagine clear, concise, and direct explanation of features and specifications would be much more beneficial for the marketing team, sales teams, and overall company/group.

Re: Ask HN: Does anyone else get more confused with marketing buzz-word hell?

#13

Post by pastram_i »

muzani wrote: post #5
vmoore wrote: post #3

Buzz words are sometimes used to hype up something, so be skeptical when you encounter them. Sometimes they're used to conceal something very complex, when it should be explained simply to a five year old. Think Blockchain, AI, NFTs, etc

I think of it like salt. A little here and there is necessary, but too much is sign of a bad cook or that the chicken isn't very fresh.

Not in 'Merica

Re: Ask HN: Does anyone else get more confused with marketing buzz-word hell?

#14

Post by pastram_i »

vmoore wrote: post #3

Buzz words are sometimes used to hype up something, so be skeptical when you encounter them. Sometimes they're used to conceal something very complex, when it should be explained simply to a five year old. Think Blockchain, AI, NFTs, etc

I think the explained simply is what I prefer (or maybe expect?). I think another comment mentioned the 'safety' of being vague, and I can see that being very likely.

Re: Ask HN: Does anyone else get more confused with marketing buzz-word hell?

#15

Post by pastram_i »

legitster wrote: post #2

I work in marketing and you would not believe how many meetings I have been in about this very topic. There are specifically two forces at play: 1. Marketing copy has to be very risk averse. If your company loses a major deal because a buyer somewhere thought your product didn't check a single specific niche feature, you better believe the sales team will be crawling all your site to remove any non-vague verbage. 2.…

I think these go together; and make a lot of sense. I think this is the best answer to the 'why', and at least I understand it.

I still don't like it.... but....

Re: Ask HN: Does anyone else get more confused with marketing buzz-word hell?

#16

Post by pastram_i »

Froedlich wrote: post #9

I periodically hit pages where I can't tell what a vendor's product does. Or I already know what it does, but it's so full of buzzwords, trademarked terminology, and bafflegab I'm lost. VMWare's web site was a good example of that, last I bothered to look at it. If a product is promoted as a "solution", that normally indicates it's over-priced, under-featured and not worth looking at further. There are still a few co…

Those last two, I pretty much avoid at all cost.

Re: Ask HN: Does anyone else get more confused with marketing buzz-word hell?

#17

Post by patriciaaa »

legitster wrote: post #2

I work in marketing and you would not believe how many meetings I have been in about this very topic. There are specifically two forces at play: 1. Marketing copy has to be very risk averse. If your company loses a major deal because a buyer somewhere thought your product didn't check a single specific niche feature, you better believe the sales team will be crawling all your site to remove any non-vague verbage. 2.…

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