Marketing headlines have been the bane of grammar teachers since advertising began. The rules of good sentence structure get tossed out in favor of what is catchy and in vogue in marketing. Nothing runs more counter to proper English than the use of slang in marketing. In fact, marketing has been known to create words that become part of the urban vernacular, or I might say they elevate words that catch on with the marketplace.

Our world is full of informal, idiomatic colloquialisms – aka the common talk of the streets. A lot of slang is associated with social media. That typically takes the form of hashtags, acronyms and catchy terms that become popular. Should you be using slang in your marketing? It depends upon who you are trying to reach. Like many phrases, a lot of slang terms go in and out of style and often change meanings. For instance, the image at the top of this post illustrates a few of the many uses of the word "jack.” Some have positive connotations and some have negative. Whether it is seen as one or the other is determined by whom I am communicating with through my marketing efforts. If I tell someone from Gen Z to get jacked, they will understand that I am trying to get them pumped up. If I tell someone from Gen X that prices have been jacked, they understand that someone has taken advantage of them. Jack has different meanings to different demographic groups. It could be a card in a game, a child’s game played with a rubber ball, an assault to take over your automobile, or a way to change a flat tire. If your target market is confused by which term you mean, it is best to stay away from slang. If they understand what you mean, they will think you are clever and you will make a connection with them. Marketing is all about connecting with your customers in a way that reflects the best light on your brand.

Is there a case where slang is too edgy? Yes, there is. Many slang terms have a double meaning. Some marketers have ruined their brand by stepping on their customers’ values. If you cross a line of good taste with your customers, you risk alienating them from your brand. There is a fine line between what is edgy and what is a spoiler. Marketing is always pushing that line, but you dare not cross over it.

There is also a case to be made that sometimes marketers get too sophisticated with slang terms. If you are using a phrase that makes people think too hard, they will ignore it. For instance, going back to our "jack” example, if we were promoting continuing education at a local college and we had a marketing piece that said, "Don’t get boxed in, jack up your career at ABC University,” people may not see the word play on Jack-in-the-box, elevating (jacking up) your career and opening up opportunities. It’s just a little too cute for people to get it. In marketing, your audience has to understand what you are saying quickly. Otherwise, it is just wasted effort.

Should you use slang in your marketing? If you can make a connection with your target market, yes, by all means. But if you are confusing consumers in an effort to be edgy, you should stay away from it. It is better to be understood in marketing – and understood quickly – than to be hip and misunderstood.