Tuesday, August 13, 2013

The new brand for digital marketing services: G/O

Gannett revealed that G/O Digital brand name today for a unit that's been around at least since February 2012. That's when the company said it expected digital marketing services would generate an additional $275 million to $350 million in annual revenue by 2015.

In a press release, GCI said the new name "embodies the quick, precise impact" its services would deliver to national, regional and small to mid-sized businesses.

A moratorium, please?
The press release includes this subheadline: "New Branding Signals Gannett’s Evolution as a Full-Service Media and Marketing Company with Suite of Best in Class Digital Products." (Emphasis added.)

A deal: I'll promise to never refer to GCI's publicists as "flacks" if they'll stop using "best in class" in press releases.

Not to be confused with...
G/O Corp., which custom designs products for the nuclear power industry, shipyards and various industrial and pharmaceutical accounts. (Perhaps this is where Homer Simpson gets his work clothes at the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant.)

Slightly related: One of my favorite movies is 1999's Go, which gets a 92% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Watch the possibly NSFW trailer.

8 comments:

  1. Was this brand name developed in-house, or did the company pay lots of money to a consultant?

    ReplyDelete
  2. An update: Now, I see why Corporate uses that phrase so much. This is from the job description when the company was advertising for a replacement for chief publicist Robin Pence:

    "This is an exciting opportunity to help build and motivate a high performing, integrated, best in class, corporate communication function at one of the largest and highly respected media organizations."

    ReplyDelete
  3. Here's one of my favorite best-in-class buzzword-laden press releases:

    CEO Gracia Martore is quoted in a release as actually saying: "This is an exciting time for Gannett, as we leverage our many competitive advantages to deliver best-in-class content and services across an integrated, multi-platform portfolio."

    ReplyDelete
  4. "Best in class" was David L. Hunke's redundant phrase over and over during his great transformation of USA Today.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I tried reading that sentence a few times, like I actually was saying it. Couldn't do it without laughing.

    ReplyDelete
  6. When I hear "Best in Class", it reminds me of the Westminster Dog Show. And Triumph, The Insult Comic Dog.

    Which makes "Best in Class" the perfect phrase . . .
    "For me to poop on!!!!"

    ReplyDelete
  7. Wow, GO Digital has been merged with Digital Analog Media to create a wonderful set of products. When they feel Corporate will refer to failure by initials of the combined group.

    ReplyDelete
  8. G/O is the worst bunch of incompetent idiots, right up there with the GIADC morons...These people have no idea what they are doing. There are so many horror stories that could be shared by everyone who has the misfortune of being forced to deal with these misfits. You would think such massive incompetence would NOT come with such arrogance and attitude, but sadly these G/O GIADC people think they are actually doing a good job. Its such a joke. The crap they produce is amazingly bad. Its a shame that our customers are being sold such garbage, the churn rate is depressing.

    ReplyDelete

Jim says: "Proceed with caution; this is a free-for-all comment zone. I try to correct or clarify incorrect information. But I can't catch everything. Please keep your posts focused on Gannett and media-related subjects. Note that I occasionally review comments in advance, to reject inappropriate ones. And I ignore hostile posters, and recommend you do, too."

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