It has been four years since I was back in the UK, and plenty has changed. There are visible signs of how politics and the pandemic have roughed up the country, but there also seem to be significant shifts on more minute levels. The most noticeable for me is the copywriting tone on product packaging and formal communication.
Put simply; everything is talking at me.
I remember this trend starting around a decade ago with Innocent Drinks — the smoothie and juice company whose copy spoke directly to the consumer in a casual, "friendly" way that was fresh and novel at the time. Fast-forward to 2023, and every product and service appears to have dialed the chat up to eleven.
I can't imagine a Japanese bank ever advising me to "dust off my pen" before signing the back of my new debit card.
From kitchen spray to oat milk, restaurant menus to bank statements, every written form of communication seems to be acting like a mate down a pub joshing in casual banter about the optimal way to open a sandwich.
Perhaps this is even more noticeable given I live in Japan, where all text communication stays within its lane — I can't imagine a traditional Japanese bank ever advising me to "dust off my pen" before signing the back of my new debit card.
However, it is the implications for society that fascinates me. What happens when we start to lose elements of formal speech and behaviour? When traditional "politeness" shifts to "matey over-friendliness." It will be interesting to see.
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