Thoughts on TAWPI and Catch Phrases

Thoughts on TAWPI and Catch Phrases
by Paul Traite

I was thinking about the upcoming (and seemingly non-stop) crop of trade shows and expos. I was looking forward to a game I play with a few of my associates – amusing ourselves with the various catch phrases we see on the big headline marketing booth banners.

To try to maintain plausible neutrality, I won’t name any myself. But what we find amusing are catch phrases with at least a few of the following attributes:

• Terms that only other people deeply immersed in the industry know the meaning of.


• Catch phrases that seem to mean nothing at all, or are so ambiguous as to be about as useful.


• Superlatives or other descriptive side-fodder used by almost everyone, which reminds me most of what the guys at small time carnivals call out to get you to come see the bearded lady inside the tent.

It seems to me that all this gobbledygook must, at the least, be useless to the prospective customers. I would venture to say that it even keeps many from striking up a conversation at an expo booth, because they feel embarrassed that they don’t know what in the world the marquee booth products and services are.

TAWPI to the Rescue?

TAWPI’s membership consists of a large number of both industry “vendor-side” experts, as well as both long-time and newly arrived customers of industry services.

Collectively, we have both a large amount of real knowledge on what many of these catch phrases and terms mean, as well as also having a well honed sense of humor.

How you can help

I ask anyone to submit your favorite catch phrases, along with what you seriously believe it means, a humorous alternate definition, or just a question if you don’t know what it means. TAWPI will build up a glossary of these terms and provide it to its members.

You can make submissions either as a comment/response to this blog entry, or use the blog comment/email response.

As an incentive, there is a contest for the best “alternative” definition.

If enough participate, we can build a meaningful glossary for our newer members, and maybe through humor help retire some of the catch phrases that have no real business in this real business.