Got Melty?

Marketers tend to be pretty keen on the latest trends in linguistics. For example, milk marketers introduced "Got Milk?" after tapping into this popular phrasing that had been used by people from all over.

Or, as I discussed here on BizPizzazz a few days ago, QVC has started to market itself as just "Q" or perhaps "the Q". Popular venacular has a funny way of driving our malleable English language. Even Federal Express changed its name in ads because commonfolk referred to them as FedEx.

But it gets interesting when multiple companies try to position themselves as hip, using the latest pop culture terminology. Case in point: "melty." (Editor's note: from here on out I will be italicizing the word melty, or any derivative thereof, because the italics just make it look even melllllllllltier.)

Before this year, I don't know that I've ever observed the word melty being used in an advertisement, but I would hear it on occasion when with friends or overhearing others talking about their food. "I love when ice cream gets all melty and gooey," might be one usage.

But lately, melty is everywhere. Wawa, the Philadelphia-area king of convenience stores, has used the word melty in its radio commercials ad nauseum to promote its new ciabatta sandwiches. And Oscar Mayer, of hot dog and deli meat fame, is using melty in its ads and on its web site to promote its Deli Creations. And I know that I've heard another company use the word melty in a TV commercial but I just can't recall who it was... Quizno's perhaps? (Sorry, it just melted out of my mind.) (Editor's note: This article from The Onion cleared my memory and reminded me I heard melty in a Taco Bell commercial. I was close.)

So what's the lesson for marketers, then? If you're going to try to capitalize on a trendy word, be it melty, felty, welty, or whatever, go out and own that word! Don't just be a copycat and use it because everybody else is using it. Otherwise your message will just melt into the background...

QVC Conquering the Q?

So QVC, the 21-year-old direct response retail company, is in the act of laying claim to the letter "Q" by launching its "iQdoU?" campaign, as reported by DMNews. The company's goal is, indeed, "to own the letter 'q,'" according to Jeff Charney, the chief marketing officer at QVC.

Sounds like a smart endeavor if it works, if you ask me. For example, Apple has had success by laying claim to the letter "i," with iPhone, iPod, and other "iTems." Overstock went for the "O" with its seemingly short-lived "It's all about the O" campaign, and its logo of a giant, ubiquitous O in its marketing materials. There are undoubtedly other similar claims to letters, numbers, or other frequently used symbols or words, depending on how deep you care to go.

Interestingly, in addition to owning the letter Q, QVC is also going after the other popular trend of verb-ing your company's name, by coining the phrase "I Q, do you?". Consider other instances of companies verb-ing their names:

• "You should Google your last name to find out who's talking smack about you."
• "I'll be right there, I just have to Xerox my buttocks for the office bulletin board."
• "I need to Windex my computer screen because I just sneezed all over it."

Ultimately, if QVC succeeds in getting its "Q" out into the common vernacular, both as a letter and a verb, it will be quite an aqqomplishment, err, accomplishment since it will take time and persistence to change people's speaking habits. Owning a letter or verb-ing your company name can be a powerful step in building your brand recognition.

Now please pardon me while I chow down on some alphabet soup for lunch...