Procter & Gamble attempting to trademark phrases like LOL to attract millennials
35 replies, posted
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-08-23/p-g-files-to-trademark-some-millennial-phrases-to-up-cool-factor
Procter & Gamble Co., the world’s largest consumer-products company, is trying to lock down the use of some of the millennial-friendly terms that litter social media.
As part of a bid to attract younger shoppers to its brands, the Cincinnati-based maker of Tide detergent and Pantene shampoo has applied to trademark LOL, NBD, FML and WTF, which
it wants to use in cleaning and air freshening products.
Chief Executive Officer David Taylor has said P&G already does well with millennials. But a new board member, Nelson Peltz, has faulted the company for being slow to respond to
rapidly changing preferences. Upstart products are increasingly eroding market share from established brands, and consumer-products companies have turned to buying smaller rivals
to capture their growth.
In the past year, P&G has acquired brands like Native deodorant, which markets itself as “deodorant that isn’t a chemistry experiment,” and introduced greener versions of classic
products, including a line called Pampers Pure Protection. It also bought Snowberry, a New Zealand skincare company, in February.
P&G declined to comment on the move, which was reported earlier by Ad Age. Now the consumer-products giant faces the question: Will trademarking the terms attract the coveted
younger buyers?
I...don't understand how slapping "lol" or "wtf" on your products is going to attract anyone. Do they really think throwing memes on a tide pod is gonna attract that hip cool crowd of laundry enthusiasts? I feel like someone really out of touch said something on a whim and was accidentally taken seriously. Why? Why trademark internet slang and lingo? Didn't some other company try this shit in the past and get laughed out the office?
Feel like I need to wave my cane at these people or something.
But millennials already love eating their products
"LOL this makes clothes so sparkly clean!"
"WTF this can remove stains easily?!?"
I know I don't want to see that in a laundromat.
KYS.
"How do you do fello-"
Are corporations just aliens trying to figure out what real people are like?
If anything I'd be less inclined to buy products with LOL on them.
p&g presents: epic win gamer detergent
Their current advertising is perfectly fine. This is only going to attract mockery.
Seriously doubt it ever will. Every corporation on the planet will unite to keep it.
Why would someone buy detergent that has the abbreviation of "Fuck My Life" on it? It's like they WANT to legitimize Tide-Pod eating
Corporations probably should die too, after all without them stock market gambling wouldn't be a thing either.
I think you mean you'll eat a FML pod.
Because if there's one thing "millennials" love, it's corporate overreach! /s
Finally a laundry product that can get all these dorito and mountain dew stains out of the kmart clothes my mum bought me five years ago
At best it might attract elderly to buy "the cool version" of laundry detergent for relatives? I just imagine the type of person who watches big bang theory being the target here.
Sociopaths are incredibly obtuse in ferreting out social trends and zeitgeists.
> slow to respond to rapidly changing preferences.
> LOL, NBD, FML AND WTF
Where's OMGWTFBBQ? That shit's cutting edge!
Please god never let me be this out of touch
"Adam ruins millennials"
what a fucking excellent line
lol wtf that is so early 2000s
This isn't even a generational thing. What person - of any age - is so unfamiliar with how normal humans act that they trying to trademark current slang would somehow endear them to people? Do they think the entire world is made of robotic accountants going, "Well done, Bernberg, I applaud such an aptly-timed acquisition strategy! I foresee healthy growth for the next quarter!"
Like, it's less "are these people that out of touch with today's youth" and more "have these people ever interacted with anyone outside of work?"
Who the fuck even sits in a board room and pitches this idea thinking its good?
What are the odds of this trademark even going through? I have a hard time believing it will.
Consider how often those are used in sentences that would be considered bad for the product.
WTF I love sodomy!-------------->SUED
this kinda bs should be punishable via spinal removal with a sickle, this is literally an attempt to give people cancer and a war crime
Yeah, whoever thought of that idea isn't going to be at the company for much longer. How about you try selling to your audience; people who need to get their shit clean; and not millenials?
Someone whom has enough money that interaction with the general populace doesn't occur, ever, except through sanitized social media venues.
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