Is your cliché meter running?

Now that GH Spin readers have put acronyms in the doghouse, it’s time to shine a light on our old friends, the clichés.

First question: How many clichés are in the first sentence? Answer: Too many.

The joke’s on you April Fools

The age old tradition of playing practical jokes on the village fool (aka your coworker) may not be as funny as it used to be thanks to the economy.

April Fools jokes like sending out false termination notices to a co-worker, posting a false promotion on a company bulletin board, or pretending to quit in today’s economy can cause more stress than laughs.

A new survey says that 68% of executives find office pranks inappropriate, and HR consultants warn that playing pranks could hurt your chance for a promotion or add your name to a list of “non-essential” employees.

For those of you thinking of mischief today, the Spin offers this advice: Keep the jokes clean, not mean.

Click here to read more.

Fun with the English language: A riddle

As public relations specialists, we at Goff & Howard fundamentally practice the art of communications, both verbal and visual. As a result, we are connoisseurs of language – its proper use; its flexibility, power, and clarity; and even its playfulness. It is this last aspect of language which we will occasionally celebrate in posts to the GH Spin.

Here’s our first installment:

What common English word is nine letters long and, after removing a single letter each time in sequence, remains a common English word from nine letters down to one letter? Watch the video below to find out.

Acronyms need a SWAT

Consider the acronym SWAT. It could, of course, mean Special Weapons And Tactics, or, it could be one version of the marketing assessment, Strengths Weakness Advantages and Threats. But it could also mean Sisters With a Throttle to a motorcycle enthusiast or Sick Wild and Twisted to a hip-hop music lover. Talk about confusing.

Not only are acronyms annoying, as though the speaker doesn’t want you to be part of his little club of people who know what the heck he’s talking about. But they make it impossible to get your point across because no one can follow you.

Recently I went to a day-long training session with several different state and federal agencies. The twist was that acronyms were forbidden ALL DAY LONG. It quickly became a great sport watching staff members from the DNR, DOH, OPS, DPS, and many more try to describe who they are and what they do without using acronyms.

We here at The GH Spin would like to extend that edict to meetings everywhere. Ambitious? Perhaps. Necessary? For sure.

Saint Paul celebrates its pot of gold

Saint Paul was full of energy and Irish cheer today as revelers (real Irish or just Irish for the day) enjoyed one of the largest Saint Patrick’s Day parades in the country. The nonprofit Saint Patrick’s Association organizes the parade each year and donates the proceeds from button sales and sponsorships to charity. Last year, the association donated more than $10,000.

This is the 43rd year that people have paraded through the streets of Saint Paul hoping to find the luck of the Irish and maybe even a beer. With today’s very warm weather, the Irish eyes were clearly shining.

We here at Goff & Howard look forward to the Saint Patrick’s Day parade and the visitors it brings to our neighborhood each year.

Polaris Blazes a Trail at the Capitol

It was Polaris Day at the Capitol today, as Scott Wine, chief executive officer of Polaris Industries, met with several state legislators to talk about Polaris, manufacturing in Minnesota, and the legislative efforts of interest to Polaris. Based in Medina, Minnesota, Polaris is one of the powersport industry’s leading manufacturers and employs more than 2,000 Minnesotans. Goff & Howard has worked with Polaris for more than 15 years and was honored to be a part of today’s legislative event.

Polaris is known for its innovative products, and as a part of Polaris Day at the Capitol, the manufacturer brought its newest electric ATV, the RANGER EV, to the Capitol for legislators to see in person. The RANGER EV, which is part of the ongoing evolution of ATVs that began in 1985, is built for clean and quiet operation that allows for fewer disturbances to the natural environment.

Polaris CEO Scott Wine and Goff & Howard’s Brian Bergson, Chris Georgacas, and Lynda Chilstrom introduced legislators to the RANGER EV, Polaris’ newest electric ATV, on the steps of the Capitol.