Buzzwords - Brandalism
(noun) The sullying of artistic and cultural life with invasive corporate graffiti.
Nothing is done for its own sake anymore. It’s fair to say that if some corporate vulture didn’t stump up a bag of cash in return for having the corporate logo slapped all over the place, some things – art exhibitions, TV programmes, sporting tournaments – might not happen. Take the Premier League. It’s not just about 90 minutes of end-to-end passion, but also about ceaselessly reminding fans that Barclaycard is a handy piece of plastic in your wallet.
Soap addicts know that you can’t sit down for half an hour of Coronation Street without realising that the programme is also about Cadburys chocolate.
Theatregoers settling in to watch Alan Bennett’s latest play The History Boys will have a gnawing feeling in the back of their mind that for what they about to receive they must be truly thankful to KPMG.
When it gets to that stage you’re suffering from brandalism. Corporate sponsorship has invaded our culture, arts and sport. But while being bombarded with corporate messages may be infuriating, at least someone is doing something to make these events happen. Although we might be tired of their logos, we also know that fortunately corporate bosses have handed over millions in sponsorship with no real way of knowing if it helps their products.
Baffled by business buzzwords? Send them to [email protected] and we’ll attempt to deconstruct them.