The use of tired, old phrases is discouraged by writing teachers.
But there is plenty of evidence that people like traditional ways of doing things.
There is a place for cliche. I find it year after year, decade after decade. People actually want to feel the security of familiar words and phrases.
I have seen and even personally written guideline booklets on writing copy that listed rules like this: ‘Never use old cliche phrases. Always find a new way to word an old thought’.
But that simply does not hold up in real world writing. I have seen the pattern so many times that I now think it is misguided for a teacher to instruct students to always find a new twist.
Yesterday, I heard a radio DJ announce an ad that started,
“Mothers Day is just around the corner.”
Yes. Every holiday and celebration is ‘just around the corner’.
What an old, tired, stale phrase. But people want to hear it.
For many, there is a certain security in the familiar. I have come to understand that audiences are in a highly focused mindset.
For my own clarity I think of it as a trance.
People want their values reflected back to them.
They demand it. They will fight for that sense of security.
If their values are predictable, and they all are, then using those values, objectively, gets results.
Values keep people in a happy, secure trance.
Think about it. Most of us feel comfortable with our first language. There is a security and sense of home base in it. The reflex to return to it is a natural gravitation. It feels right.
Same thing with cliche. Sure, it’s old and worn out but that’s what makes it so dependable. It has value and value gives us meaning.
Meaning gives us identity. To take away cliche is to threaten personal identity.
Examples:
- It’s back to school time
- you’ll be glad you did
- drive a little save a lot
- open nightly till nine
- while supplies last
- void where prohibited
- Christmas is just around the corner
- pass the savings on to you
- for the whole family
- that new car smell
- kids 12 and under in free
- dear old dad
- for more information.
Everything is old at some point. Like the old familiar songs. Still people want to learn blues guitar and sing the old way. It’s a release.
When a phrase has been observed long enough, it is no longer a subject. It becomes object. Like practicing slowly
until you get fast on speed guitar. (OK, enough guitar analogies–hey, at least they are not sports analogies.)
That makes it obvious except to those who still see it as subjective, personally identified with it.
It is amazing, the invisible glue that holds cultures, families, couples, businesses, individuals together.
Values.
Some of the copy samples on this site contain cliches.
Yes, a writer should be able to find new words for an old idea.
But, be aware that it’s not always best.
