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Thursday, January 2, 2014

Commercials for 2014 may have even more exceptional grammar than those from 2013

Happy New Year. Last Year I wrote 130 blog entries and enjoyed 2247 views. This year looks like it will have a lot more of the same. Feel free to follow me on Twitter or follow this blog.

Speedway is promoting their coffee as even "more exceptional.” Merriam-Webster Online defines exceptional a few different ways, including:

  • not usual : unusual or uncommon
  • unusually good : much better than average
  • mentally or physically disabled

So, Speedway’s coffee is more much better, more unusual, or more uncommon.


I have not had any of their coffee recently say wether or not it is exceptional. I think that they sell gasoline at the Speedways, too (I'm kidding. I often fuel up my car at a Speedway.) A better tie in would be to say:

 "An exceptional opportunity to fuel your body and your car at the same time."

Tuesday, December 3, 2013

Episode 129: It's the solution business are looking for (Just not the grammar)

Bloomberg Television has a commercial where they say that they are 'the solution business is looking for." The business I seek...seek... is a business that knows how to edit its message to the public, through advertising, where the message is succinct and grammatically correct.

Monday, December 2, 2013

Episode 128: Driving for twin grammatical trouble

It is not often that I find a commercial that has two grammatical goofs. It is ironic that the commercial in question has identical twins learning to drive their Subaru.

The jy of learning to drive sometimes includes learning to use your turn indicator. This is something that some adults still have not learned how to do. Sometimes they turn the indicator on after they have moved in to my lane as if to say 'thank you,' and others ride their indicator in the turn-only lane and fail to use it when they are are another lane wanting to move into my lane. The Dad, during the commercial tells his first son: "Turn your blinker on." Signal. Let them know that you are pulling out of the driveway. There are so many options other than ending the sentence with a preposition.

I suppose I should cut them a little slack because Mitsubishi used the same line "Turn your blinker on." I commented on this line this past summer.

Son number two is driving and learning the joy of first gear. The father tells him to "feather it out." Slowly release the clutch.

 I hope that you are enjoying this blog. I have enough material to make it through the end of the year.

Saturday, November 30, 2013

Episode 127: Grammar worth fighting for. Walking with a hanging preposition.

I could have a hey day with the the grammatical flubs of on-air announcers. That is not the point of this blog. The point is to illuminate the problems that scriptwriters have with basic grammar. I have a problem with commercials and feature scripts where hanging prepositions and incorrect pronouns are used.

I wrote during the beginning of the month regarding a Disney movie that has grammar worth fighting for, when I highlighted the phrase "Some people are worth melting for" from the movie "Frozen." Another hanging preposition can be found in the trailer for "Walking with Dinosaurs" when the announcer states that this is the story about 'a friendship worth fighting for.'

Some friendships require a journey to forge.

Sometimes you have to fight for a friendship to last.

Sometimes you have to fight for better grammar.

Friday, November 29, 2013

Episode 126: You Need Better Grammar More than Me, Jell-O. "Bad Day" equals Poor Grammar

I was watching television after a long day of cooking yesterday and I saw the new classic Jell-O commercial titled "Bad Day." The commercial features a dad saying how much he likes Jell-O and has the son placing himself into his father's shoes. The son says, at the end of the commercial, "Here. You need this more than me." I know kids don't have the best grammar. I work on grammar and word choice with my daughter on a regular basis. This kid is reading a script! What are these scriptwriters thinking?

Here. You need this more than I do.

Wednesday, November 27, 2013

Episode 125: Grammar on Demand: Buick lacrosse Intelli-link

This is a new classic commercial with two young kids riding to a school dance in the backseat of a Dad's Buick LaCrosse. The classic songs played, as a warning to the date, included "Keep Your Hands to Yourself" by the Georgia Satellites. They say that that using the new stereo systems allows you to have "all your music is ready to listen to."

Preposition. End of sentence. Repeat.

"All of your music at your command."

"All your music, as close as your voice."

Tuesday, November 26, 2013

Episode 124: St. Jude's. Who would you turn to?

I think that the work that St. Jude's Hospital does is critically important. I find the grammar they use just as important while attempting to tell their story. Note that I did not say "get their message out."

They have a "Fighting Cancer Commercial" that is running right now.  The are looking for for you to turn to them this Thanksgiving and this Christmas to give the gift of Hope and the Gift of Life.

Where would you turn if your child needed help?

What would it mean to you if someone sponsored your child?

Please RT and Repost.

Happy Thanksgiving.