Rise Above the BLEH-reaucracy

Fun fact about big-screen mermaids…

The one Daryl Hannah played in Splash, the one named Madison. That mermaid sparked a baby-name explosion.

Remember the scene where Tom Hanks’ character and the mermaid discuss what her name should be? They walk under the Madison Avenue street sign in Manhattan, and the mermaid says, “Madison. I like Madison.”

Tom Hanks says, “Madison is not really a name…”

(Little did he know.)

In 1983, before Splash, five newborn, American girls were named Madison.

Then Splash happened. In 1984, 42 Madisons. In 1985, 301. By 1990, 1,407 newborns got the name. Then 9,775 in 1995. The name peaked in 2001: 22,166 Madisons born in the USA. That made Madison the #2 name for American newborn girls.

Thanks, Daryl Hannah.

All that makes me wonder whether “Claude” or “Claudette” is catching on as a baby name.

Turns out, no. At least not yet.

Last year, about 40 American baby boys were named Claude. Claudette barely registered.

With one exception…

I recently read an article in Noema magazine where “Mr. Claude” is the main character. And he’s a villain.

The writer, Aaron Horwath, says companies pushing all their thinking through the same few AI tools have, in effect, hired the same employee, Mr. Claude (or one of his cousins).

And Mr. Claude writes everything with the same smooth, predictable copy.

Horwath calls it “bleh.”

I like that word “bleh.” It’s one of those words that has meaning even without context. It’s the right word for the job.

Bleh is bad. Bleh doesn’t stand out. Bleh doesn’t get you hired.

So, for all of those who employ “Mr. Claude” (without naming your babies after him)…

…How do you get that magnificent AI-powered productivity boost without becoming one more Bleh-reaucrat in a pile of other Bleh-reaucrats?

How do you stand out as the human to hire in your niche?

You put personality in your copy. YOUR personality.

Your stories. Your opinions. The stuff Mr. Claude can’t know unless you hand it to him.

Next week, I’m hosting a Small-Group Business Roundtable on exactly this: How to Put Personality in Your Marketing So You Stand Out as the Human to Hire, Not Another AI-Addicted Bleh-reaucrat.

Want a seat at the table?

Reply to this email with Banish the Bleh, and I’ll send you the details.