Archive for October, 2008

Here’s a question I get a lot — “How can we not use the word watershed?” “What word can I use instead?” The answer is that the best substitute for “watershed” is to tell or ask somebody to make a difference, instead.

Compare these two signs I photographed while out riding my bike last weekend. Here is a sign that works:

And here is one that doesn’t:

The habit of nature protection and pollution control experts is to explain too much, and ask too little. If you find yourself wrestling for a substitute for the w-word, you’re probably falling into that trap.

The Lions Club, representing millions of community volunteers, recently hired Lipman Hearne to freshen up their look and marketing materials.

Apologies in advance for this blurry screenshot — but note the excellent choice of words on one of their new brochures. Seem familiar?

“Do your part” is the new kid on the words that work list, and here it is in action over at the Southwest Florida Water Management District website.

Click here to actually watch this video. The producers have not made it available for bloggers to use on their sites.

There’s a lot to like about the “Water Conservation Song,” written and performed by Asleep at the Wheel for the Austin, TX, water department, but I don’t think the PSA quite hits the mark.

Click here to watch the video. Now show it to a friend, without the sound on, and ask them what this commercial about.

After you finish laughing at their wacky answer, got any suggestions for the producers to fix it?