Observed: Fire on the Air

The Observatory has detected a significant increase of the use of fire and fire-making metaphors in products, marketing and possibly newscasts. Though this is too soon to be branded a trend or anomally, it does warrant further tracking.

Among this class of etherly bodies, we have sighted increased emphasis on the words “spark“, “ignite” and “fire” over the past several years. Hopefully, this may also signal a meltdown for the geriatric “ice” metaphor, whose cool, glistening bling should maybe be scrapped and recycled for something a little hotter.

Young-gummer targeter Dentyne has been straddling this burning bridge for years with their Fire and Ice brands. Equating the spiciness of cinnamon with “heat” and the numbing tingles of mint with “cold” is nothing new. However, Dentyne was among the leading edge with this metaphor duo, putting wads of marketing money where their mouth is. Such powerful airwaves are free and easy to ride, and so the Observer suggests much of this specific sighting is due to copy-jockey piggy-backing rather than vogue vocabulary volleyball.

In any event, the Observatory will keep its ear to the ground and its eye to the sky in its ongoing awkward attempt at tracking society through its metaphors. With all the nuclear, storm and fire related metaphors overpopulating the media these past few years, it’s enough to make one think of “energy” and “crisis“…