| --> | | | | living? Go on, take a guess. Did you get it right? |
| People get so funny (and I mean funny weird, not | | | | They're a window cleaner. A perfectly respectable |
| funny 'ha ha') when you call them by the wrong name. | | | | and absolutely necessary job. But for some reason |
| What's even more strange is that I'm not referring to | | | | they felt that the newer name made them sound |
| their given name, no I am referring to their job title or | | | | more 'officious'. If you ask me (as a marketer) it's a |
| their working name... Take for instance 'GREASE | | | | fool-proof way of getting lost in the shuffle. I mean |
| MONKEY' | | | | seriously folks, when was the last time you went |
| I love that name. It conjures up the oddest pictures. | | | | looking for a 'transparent wall technician' in the local |
| Granted it does not necessarily paint the worlds most | | | | phone book. |
| professional image (after all, some people think | | | | You think I'm missing the point because I'm not an |
| monkeys are smelly skittish creatures) but it does paint | | | | automotive technician? You think that I don't get the |
| a mental image and one hell of a good one. | | | | fact you feel you get little or no respect - I understand. |
| That's the funny part though isn't it. Words which by | | | | In fact each day I try to help build the industry's image |
| their very definition are static and flat (until spoken of | | | | with positive articles, adverts and marketing advice. |
| course), are our meagre attempt at packaging a | | | | You guys are great - I get it, but I'm not your customer. |
| thought, idea or concept into a sound. | | | | I am not the only one who is 'confused' by the new |
| We even choose to let sounds evoke an emotional | | | | automotive names you've taken. There is empirical |
| response. Think about this for a moment, when | | | | evidence wish shows that when you changed your |
| someone shouts a rude word at you what has | | | | name from 'mechanic' to 'automotive technician' - |
| happened - nothing really. You heard a sound, you | | | | although you may have felt better about yourselves - |
| 'recognized' it and then you 'interpreted' it, and finally | | | | you lost customers. |
| you gave it meaning based on experience. | | | | Decades of time was invested in the word mechanic - |
| And that's where it gets really interesting. YOU | | | | and ironically - grease monkey. People associated the |
| DECIDED what to think, feel and do because you | | | | terms with their vehicles. When your car breaks down |
| heard a sound. Pretty powerful stuff if you stop and | | | | you seek out a mechanic. Technicians fix computers |
| think about it. The trouble is though, if we stop and think | | | | and other technical gadgets - I know, cars are now |
| about this too much it all unravels and you'll get a | | | | basically computers on wheels, but the consumer |
| headache (grin). | | | | doesn't yet see them that way. Why ignore all that |
| But all kidding aside, you decide what a word means. | | | | good will and positive 'brand' history? |
| So why on earth do mechanics get so bent out of | | | | Here's some of that proof I mentioned earlier - it's |
| shape over a sound - sorry I meant to say a few | | | | been taken from Overture, a website that shows the |
| words: GREASE MONKEY. Try this with me. Say | | | | terms people are seeking, the counts are local and for |
| grease monkey ten times fast. I bet you can't help | | | | one month: |
| smiling - I do. | | | | #1) Automotive Mechanic - 5384 |
| The term evokes in me pleasant memories, of a | | | | #2) Grease Monkey - 3396 |
| bygone era when people were kinder and more | | | | #3) Automotive Technician - 2122 |
| gentler. It reminds me of my late Grandfather (a giant | | | | Look, I know you don't like 'grease monkey' and quite |
| of man) and his generation. Today people seem to | | | | frankly I get it. But people seem to look for it 60% |
| take things far too seriously, take for instance this | | | | more frequently than technician. And mechanic is still |
| monstrous mouthful: | | | | the #1 term outperforming technician by about 250% |
| TRANSPARENT WALL TECHNICIAN | | | | Here's my closing thought. |
| Do you have any idea what this fellow does for a | | | | |