The word “sucks” has a rather storied past. Once upon a time, it was understood as a word of derogatory and vulgar intent—the kind that had mothers scrubbing their children’s mouths out with soap should they choose to use it. It was a word used solely in a negative context, with many loudly proclaiming that “this sucks”, “that sucks” and “you suck”, while others cringed at the very use of the word. It may have been punchy, but it certainly wasn’t dignified.
Like it or loathe it, “sucks” has crept into our everyday vernacular. “Sucks to be you”, “suck it up”—we use it freely and frequently to describe situations or things we emphatically feel are no good. Racism sucks. Tax time sucks. Batman vs. Superman sucks. As such, the word “sucks” has lost its negative connotations and is becoming a way to inspire change rather than spread hate. When used creatively, the word has the ability to empower brands and individuals alike by calling out an injustice that simply won’t be accepted. In this way, “sucks” has become a powerful secret weapon for those looking to make a statement.
Sucks Can Breed Constructive Criticism
Making a mistake sucks, but that doesn’t have to be the end of the story. Customer experience is a critical part of the consumer journey, and is tipped to become even more important than price or product by 2020. Don’t let a customer walk away feeling like your service sucks: give them a platform to voice their grievances, then address their concerns and complaints directly in order to turn “sucking” into a step towards improvement. Use it wisely and a .SUCKS domain is a unique yet effective platform for addressing consumer feedback.
Sucks Can Fight Injustice
As Ralph Nader notes, “the word ‘sucks’ is now a protest word, and it’s up to the people to give it more meaning.” In a world where social action and protest are the norm, people everywhere need and deserve a voice. If something “sucks”, there’s an opportunity for change. GunViolence.Sucks. TheGlassCeiling.Sucks. Even SpringCleaning.Sucks. The word “sucks” has the ability to steer the conversation of any debate.
Sucks Can Stir Healthy Debate
Taco Bell recently poked fun at our culture’s oversharing tendencies with their “Sharing Sucks” campaign. Why was “Sharing Sucks” a good angle? It took an easily relatable argument (people who share food vs. people who don’t) and put a humorous spin on it. In this context, “sucks” became associated with people airing their grievances on a particular pet peeve. It became a way to stir up a healthy dialogue between the people who notoriously steal chips off other people’s plate and the people who are fed up with being the victims of this invisible crime. Whether you think that stealing the covers sucks or that finishing the coffee pot sucks, “sucks” has become a way to promote a cause, even a silly one.
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Sucks Can Be Good for Business
If your brand exists in an industry where sucking is part of life (like straws, vacuum cleaners or breath mints), you have inadvertently struck gold. Laid before you is a marketing campaign that can effortlessly harness the power of “sucks”. “Dust sucks, but we suck harder” is a slogan just begging to be adopted by a vacuum cleaner company. Similarly, “sucks” is a great way to easily and succinctly let public know what your business is all about. LowOil.Sucks is a straight-to-the-point domain for a promotion run by a mechanic shop, while PublicTransit.Sucks is perfect for an Uber or Lyft campaign. “Sucks” has become a tool for brands seeking a marketing strategy that’s outside of the box.
The Takeaway
These days, there are plenty of ways to “suck” in a good way. The Internet is filled with generic brands sticking to the status quo, afraid to stand out or make waves. Don’t fall into that trap. A .SUCKS domain says, “We get internet humor. We’re relatable and not afraid to be silly. We have a message and won’t back down from our mission. We aren’t afraid to suck!”
Not sucking sucks so get on board with a stand-out web domain and leave your digital mark.
Photo Credits: Shutterstock / LDprod, Shutterstock / CarlosDavid, Shutterstock / Liderina, Shutterstock / LightField Studios
