Who gives a **** about an Oxford comma?

Slang is part of the Aussie vernacular.

It’s common knowledge that we shorten most words. We give everyone a nickname and are known to use flippant words in place of proper English.

We eat avo on toast for brekky [included for artistic purposes only, I wouldn’t touch the horrendous stuff. But I am English. Martin] and love a bit of Macca’s for arvo tea. 

Sure, that’s how we speak.

But when it comes to writing for your brand, it’s all about the correct grammar and showing spell-check a bit of love. 

Don’t fail, grammatically  

The expectation to act professionally runs through every element of our brands. And when it comes to your marketing, grammar skills are on the top rung of importance. The trusty Oxford comma, it turns out, is pretty important.

Yep, it’s one of our faves.

Sentences can be pretty confusing without it. 

Let’s try another one.  

“I love my sisters, Beyonce and Adele.”

Well, that’s great. But are your sisters’ names Beyonce and Adele?

Or are you telling Beyonce and Adele that you love your sisters? 

Or maybe you’re telling us that you love Beyonce and Adele as well as your sisters.

“I love my sisters, Beyonce, and Adele.”

Ok, now we understand, thanks for clearing that up, Lady Gaga. 

Whether fair or not, poor grammar skills have a huge impact on the way people perceive your brand, and going even further can taint your brand’s credibility by making you look careless. 

Marketing, no matter what kind, is used to peak interest (10 points and straight to the top of the class for anyone who identifies the incorrect word choice in that sentence).

If you can’t use commas correctly, can you provide the right level of service? Yes, it seems extreme, but it’s true. 

What about socials?

Social media, though, can be a tricky area for brands. Errors on social media can be picked up faster than a seagull chasing a hot chip. Even if you have the ability to edit a post and correct the grammatical error, you’d be surprised how quickly screenshots can be shared. 

What brands struggle with here is the blurred line between projecting professionalism and still connecting with followers on a personal level.

Regardless though, you need to make sure your spelling is correct, you’re using the right words (there, their and they’re, anyone?) and that grammatically, your sentence makes sense.

And if you can’t press the ‘undo’ button, own it. 

Early last year, a tweet by US comedian Josh Sneed was missing a word. Rather than deleting it, he sent a follow-up tweet about the grammatical error. Why? Mainly because a fellow comedian had already liked it, but also because you can’t edit on Twitter. So he owned it instead. 

Be clear 

Clients will do their due diligence on your company before they retain your services. That’s why it’s always important to put your best foot forward at all times – from your logo and company tagline right through to your marketing collateral, content and even the emails you send.

Good grammar will never go to waste.

Proper grammar avoids confusion, enhances brand credibility and builds your reputation.

As an added bonus, good grammar honours the beauty, eloquence and power of words.