How not to sound like a jackass to your customers

Today, we received a text from our wireless provider about our iPhone plan, which read:

Reminder!  Ur data usage period with no overage charges ends within 3 days.  Make sure ur on the right plan ...

We won't talk here about the slow and painful death of customer service via the dull blade of monopoly (though we could...) 

Instead, grammar. 

We've talked before about mobile marketing and how it's the next big marketing frontier.  We also recognize the importance of respecting and of participating authentically within the culture of a given new media space. (Which is not so different from so-called real life it would seem.)  So why does the "Ur" bug us?  And should it? Is it the incongruity of a corporate message with popular slang?  Is it that the corporation is striking an unauthentic tone? Or, is it the ongoing wise counsel of our grammar mentor (thanks Otte), who would reply that this blog is routinely ungrammatical, so we are in a fragile glass house, indeed?

Survey says -- #2!  We know as well as anyone (even the English-grad half of the partnership admits) that blogging, social media, mobile marketing  and a whole generation of Y-ers are going to blow away grammar rules. 

So the issue is not in the structure of the words, it's more in the authenticity of the voice and the permission (or lackthereof) to communicate.

Comments

[Otte]

Ahem.
At the risk of sounding pedantic, I would offer up a gentle reminder that the purpose of syntax and the myriad of related rules and regulations is not intended to stifle creativity, communication, or any of the delightfully whimsical flights of verbal invention that pass for “dialogue” these days. The rules of syntax exist to enhance and clarify communication – verbal or written. The problem with sweeping away all the rules in an effort to remove the restraints of creativity is that without structure we have ignorance and chaos – as it is in politics, so it is in grammar.
You may have forgotten what happened to the literacy and numeracy skills of high school students in this country when the rules were removed in favour of creativity and in an effort to avoid harming the fragile egos of our nation’s students. The result of all this ego-friendly, non-restrictive creativity is that colleges and universities are having to roll out large and expensive remedial writing and math programs in order to bring high school graduates up to some sort of minimal standard that will enable then to at least begin to comprehend and engage their various curricula.
Picasso and Vonnegut knew the rules of their respective arts so well and so intimately that they knew how and when to bend and break them to enchance their creativity – but they knew the rules. Breaking the rules is not for amateurs… don’t try this at home because havoc will ensue, and you won’t know from whence it came, nor what it means.

[Jeff and Lindsay]

Tap out. Anyone want to take a shot at the title responding to the comment above. (thanks Otte for taking the discussion to the next level)

[Otte]

You're welcome - and there should be a full stop (period) after "...next level)."
(Insert wicked laugh here).
What? Sentence fragment? Not at all! An imperative... the "you" is implied.
Carry on.

[Shawn]

Going to have to disagree with you Otte.

We're not talking about the laws of physics, we're talking about acceptable means of communication.

English was different in the 1600s and the pace of change is only going to accelerate. In the it will be the youth of the world will write type the rules of tomorrow. We can adapt to new realities or relegate ourselves to becoming "old folks" and "not getting it".

There's a tidal wave coming (as it does with every generation) and there's no holding it back. Roll with it baby and enjoy the ride.

[Shawn]

um ... "In the FUTURE it will be the youth ...".

[Jeff and Lindsay]

Insightful addition to the discussion as always Shawn - thank you. Anyone else care to weigh in?