"IDK, my BFF _____?"

On April 3rd, the Wall Street Journal ran an article by Suzanne Vranica on the new trend in advertising and marketing of featuring “text message lingo” to appeal to young customers in a language that they use. I find this really interesting because “text message lingo” is something that I find ridiculously annoying when my friends use it and if I am going to have to see it all over advertisements and commercials, I might rip my hair out.

The first time that I saw this trend was in a Cingular commercial featuring the little girl saying that she has been texting her “BFF Jill” and then their follow-up with the old lady saying SHE has been texting her “BFF Rose”. I find them rather annoying, but unfortunately I also think they are successful commercials.



The WSJ article quotes Bill Rosen, the CCO of Arc (a marketing agency) as saying, “You never want to come off as the Dad that is making Nelly references to his 12-year-old as a way to look cool.” True statement.

I think the Cingular commercials work because I think they are appealing to the older crowd by showing how absurd the use of “text message lingo” is and overly abbreviating everything. Opinions anyone?