Humour in copywriting
Leave it out. Clear, helpful copy will never offend anyone. A joke that falls flat can damage trust and credibility.
AI = Death knell of typos, or does it?
Allegedly, the advent of AI means that there will no longer be such a thing as a typo. Yeeha. So, no more "genital reminders", “speak shorty”, “very busty” or wishing someone has a "lonely weekend" in work emails. AI spell-checkers are brilliant. Where a ‘normal’...
Words and phrases that get on my wick (and/or are used incorrectly)
A little list of linguistic offences
Me, on See it. Say it. Sorted. and public information messaging
According to this Prolific North piece, "See it. Say it. Sorted." is one of the most successful public information campaigns of all time. Really? Apparently so. According to this, “Since the campaign’s launch in 2016, reports to British Transport Police’s 61016 text...
AI in the workplace (as at August 2025)
AI is everywhere. I suspect some organisations are caught off guard at the rapid growth and adoption of AI tools. You can’t ignore it. A total ban is possibly unworkable and somewhat naive; the same applies to a policy requiring approval for usage. A robust, but also...
Speak human: Clearer language = better customer experience
What do you tend to do when/if you get rubbish customer service? You switch allegiance as soon as humanly possible, and probably tell your friends. ‘Your message/call is very important to us’ ‘We are experiencing a high volume of calls at the moment’ ‘Please do...
A 5-minute plain English test for your emails
If your email inbox is anything like mine, (or FAR more likely, your spam/junk folder) it potentially contains the odd business email that reads like it was written by a bot. A generic opener along the lines of "I trust this email finds you well", or "I'm reaching out...
Plain English Website Audit – A how-to for clearer communication
I’m currently looking for a very specific service provider locally. I found a most excellent candidate via his most excellent website. It was written in plain English. It directly addressed my needs. I instantly knew he offered the services I needed. Unfortunately,...
Why did it take me so long to discover B Corps?
TL;DR
I thought I was doing my bit for the planet. And then I discovered B Corps—a game-changer for conscious consumers.
Cleaning up our streets?
If we can nudge behaviour on bottle returns, can we apply the same thinking elsewhere?