I've written exhaustively here about the unfortunate term "content," used to describe various corporate communication materials.
But my objections are so much inside baseball, right? "Content" is just industry jargon, right? No one would use it when speaking to actual customers. Right?
I'm putting up with a commercial at the beginning of a streaming segment from yesterday's Jon Stewart show at the bottom of the screen it says, "Your content will resume in 30 seconds."
Now, this is the very first time it has occurred to me that what I'd like to see right now is some "content." No, I just want to see Jon Stewart's routine on what a jerk Harry Reid is. The maker of the commercial is the one putting out "content." (Which, as I've said, readers will translate to mean, "shit.")
So if the message was meeting me where I live—as all communication must—the message would say, "Our shit will end soon enough, and then you can watch your show."
Which would be silly. But not as silly as telling me when my "content will resume."
A smart marketer would actually produce a series of online video ads that just made fun of how annoying they are. I’d sit through an ad for Nissan or Nike or whatever if it was just some guy or gal saying “Hey there, time for that annoying 20 seconds of waiting for your show to start while we try to sell you some stuff. I know, but it’s how things work. Just a few more seconds and then you can carry on with your life. So take a breath, we’re already half way through. Of course, we both know you’re probably going to be disappointed with the show anyway because there really isn’t much good produced these days is there? But imagine how we feel – we paid a bunch of money to help a network produce it. Anyway, when it’s over, if you need a pick-me-up why not go out and by a new Altima? Just a thought. Alright, that’s all I got. Wasn’t so bad. Enjoy the show, you know, as much as you can.”
Nicely PLAYED, Rueben!
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