What do YOU think when you see an arts or cultural event described as “Fun for the whole family”?

Does it conjur up wholesome images worthy of a Norman Rockwell painting - fresh faced kiddies and doting gray-haired grandparents accompanying relaxed and impossibly well dressed mother & father?  Or does it leave you frustrated that nobody has a clue who specifically should be interested in this event (for if they did, they would have found a way to speak to that audience more directly)?” 

“Fun for the whole family” is often employed as a ”universal” welcoming phrase.  It has become code for:  Nothing here to offend your prudish Aunt Ethel; okay to leave half-chewed animal crackers scattered on the floor; nothing heavy, no politics, no skin, no bad language, no drug references, no debatable topics and a high liklihood of balloons.

To be perfectly blunt about this – I banned the phrase ”fun for the whole family” from ShowUp.com when the service launched in 2004.  It’s a personal pet peeve.  My contention is that the phrase is a cliche and anachronistic – and, as a result, meaningless.  More than inspire anyone to ATTEND an event, it provides excuses for many to AVOID it.

Speaking personally, I can say that ”Fun for the Whole Family” describes shows that my teenage children will refuse to attend, will give my parents a splitting headache – and which will leave my wife and me totally bored.  (Norman Rockwell never did a portrait like that!) 

So you can imagine my disappointment when I learned, this week, that somehow three different events on ShowUp.com presently contain the phrase.  I had a “Stop the Presses!” moment – and a lengthy discussion with our hard-working content team.  It wasn’t a simple oversight, I was told.  It’s a point that deserves serious consideration:  Can ”fun for the whole family” EVER be used in an event description?  What if something really IS fun for the whole family?

What does “Fun for the Whole Family” imply to YOU – the members & stakeholders of Alliance for Audience & ShowUp.com?  If you’ve received this note as an e-mail, simply click the title of this note – or visit http://notes.allianceforaudience.org/ to LEAVE A REPLY.)

My position is this:  the ENTIRE purpose of ShowUp.com is to make arts and cultural participation, in a word, compelling.  (per Dictionary.com:  “Having a powerful and irresistible effect.”) 

The words used to describe arts and cultural events really matter.  They set expectations.  They make promises.  And if we are not extremely careful about our choices and diligent about their use - they become (at best) powerless and (at worst) associated with meanings that actually REPEL participation.

What other marketing words and phrases should be on the arts & cultural “watch list” as lazy, powerless, stupid, meaningless, old-fashioned or wrong-headed?  (In a future note, we’ll address the flip-side of the equation – and we’ll explore what descriptions have really motivated and inspired you to attend something?)

As for “Fun for the Whole Family” - this will be the last time you’ll see these words associated with ShowUp.com.