Are you a "User?"

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Pet Peeve:

I hate when people are referred to as "users" in a marketing context.

"We protect the privacy of Web users!"

"We design our products with users in mind!"

Whenever I hear that term, I think of the guy in this picture.

Have I seen Trainspotting and Requiem for a Dream too many times? Maybe. But I'm sure I'm not alone here.

When you're speaking/writing/blogging about marketing, I'm sure this is the last image you want people conjuring up. Unless the audience segment you're referring to are actual drug users.

Website visitors are not users. Your customers are not users. Media consumers are not users. Your target audience is not users (unless you sell syringes). They are all PEOPLE.

So let's start calling a spade a spade.

"We protect the privacy of people on the Web!"

"We design our products with people in mind!"

Sounds better, right?

Let's not forget we're in the people business, not the marketing business.

Rant over.