Watch Your Language – Avoid Profanity in Business Communication

There is a new fad in online marketing and it is not one I like or think is very beneficial. In fact, I really dislike it and I avoid anyone who uses it because I think it’s unprofessional, rude, lacks class, and is very objectionable.

It’s the use of profanity in marketing.

If you think it adds a zing to your speech and people find it approachable and fun, you may want to listen to this podcast and think again because profanity has no place in the workplace or in business settings and those who use it are not big winners and no one is impressed by their language.

There is a new fad in online marketing and it is not one I like or think is very beneficial. In fact, I really dislike it and I avoid anyone who uses it because I think it’s unprofessional, rude, lacks class, and is very objectionable.

It’s the use of profanity in marketing.

Now I am very old school when it comes to business. I started my career in the late 1970s at a time when we went to the office every day and dressed for business. For women that meant dresses or suits, stockings, and heels. Men always wore suits and ties and a white shirt. I worked in law firms where the dress code was very strict because clients were always visiting the office. I remember when they first introduced ‘casual Fridays’ and we were so excited even though that meant what would be called formal business casual today.

If you used the kind of  language in a professional setting that people use today you would be fired and it would be justified. Profanity has no place in the workplace and it should not be used in business settings, or online either. I think that level of professionalism is something we need to return to. And I will tell you why in this podcast.

I do not swear and I never have. It is just not part of my vocabulary. Maybe it’s because I met a woman when I was about 14 years old, the mother of one of my brother’s friends, who swore like a sailor. I had never heard language like that and she saw that it made me very uncomfortable.

She apologized for her language and told me that people who swore and used profanity didn’t have a very big vocabulary and they had to use swearing to fill in the gaps. Although she was probably joking I never forgot what she said and I vowed that I would never swear. I also have a very big vocabulary in 4 languages.

Should you use profanity in your marketing? Is it ok to say that something is good AF? Should you spell out sh*t and then follow it with a little emoji? Not if you want my business. And I do not think I am alone.

The rise in profanity has followed a rise in the lack of integrity in business marketing, from people who overstate income claims to those who scam their followers with outrageous claims of income potential from their products and programs, who market with sleaze and take your money with ease, the internet is a scammer’s paradise.

It is getting better with time and I have been online since the late 1990s and have seen the wild west days.  But the use of profanity is one area where we could use some improvement.

Why is this an important issue for me? As I said I have an extensive background in different areas, law, technology, finance, as well as multiple business degrees. I have been in many professional settings, including the board rooms of some of the world’s top companies and biggest startups, and I have never heard profanity used in the office in any of those environments.

Once, when I was in Paris at a board meeting of Sanofi, a large French company, in my job as the US marketing liaison and translator,  I remember Xavier Moreno, the CEO at the time, quoting Moliere, a 15^th century French literary figure, when he was chastising a senior manager for constantly interrupting him. I never heard him use profanity – it would not have occurred to him.

 The one situation I remember hearing profanity from a senior executive is when I worked for a big telecom managing their PeopleSoft system, in charge of the time and attendance application. One of the DBAs had accidentally wiped out the entire production database, more than 2 million lines of code. I had to tell the Sr VP of IT, a soft spoken, well educated man named John that this happened, on a payroll processing day of course, and he said ‘sh*t’.

It is the only time I have ever heard him swear and it was so out of character for him that I still remember it. He later apologized to me for his language use but I said it was understandable, under the circumstances.

Using profanity in marketing or business communication is a divisive choice. It can feel bold and authentic to some audiences, adding a sense of personality and approachability, especially if the target market values raw, unfiltered expression. However, it can alienate those who find it unprofessional, disrespectful, rude, vulgar,  or unnecessary.

Here are a few things to consider about the use of profanity in professional communication:

1. Authenticity vs. Professionalism: Some marketers use profanity to seem “real” or relatable, but this approach depends on the audience. For high-level professionals, industry experts, or more conservative audiences, profanity may create distance rather than connection, compromising perceived expertise. And there is the age factor to consider. If your audience is older, the use of profanity is not going to be well received. In most circles and circumstances, the use of profanity is considered rude, common, and unprofessional.
2. Audience Sensitivity: Many people may still expect a level of decorum in professional interactions. Profanity can come across as careless or even disrespectful, potentially undermining the credibility of the person using it. In many cases, clients or customers are looking for professionalism and expertise over edgy language.
   And in international settings that is even more relevant. In most countries around the world professional communication is not laced with profanity. To speak that way would be considered insulting, rude, and would damage professional relationships.
3.  Communication Style and Clarity: Profanity often acts like filler and can dilute the power of the message. It can be used to create a sense of bravado when the speaker is afraid or lacks confidence. It can be used as an assertion of dominance if the speaker feels powerless. It can also feel manipulative by creating shock value that could replace actual credentials or authenticity where you pay attention to the profanity rather than what the speaker is lacking in experience and expertise. Speaking with clarity and conviction is usually more persuasive than relying on provocative language. And if that person is not comfortable with that kind of language and is just using it for its shock value it can sound forced, very inauthentic, and even rude.

   One internet marketer used this kind of language incessantly, even warning people that this is how she talked. Every other word was a 4 letter word and it was so distracting that the value of any of her words was lost. There is a video of her speaking on stage with two of her event planners and every other word is profanity. It is embarrassing to listen to. 

   At least one of the three people is not comfortable with the language, you can tell she is forcing herself to speak that way and you almost feel sorry for her, she sounds so inauthentic. There was so much pushback against her profane language that this marketer started losing business and guess what, she stopped talking like that after so many people complained about her language.

  4.  Impact on Brand Perception: For a brand focused on professionalism, credentials, and a high standard of service, profanity     could clash with these values. In most circles it is considered to be crass, rude, and not part of professional or normal           conversation.  It’s the kind of language you use when talking trash with friends or to people you do not like. It has no place in the professional world.  It’s often easier to connect through direct, clear, and positive communication rather than potentially alienating language choices.

And this extends to those who use other languages as part of their branding and business platform. A few years ago I was attending a webinar hosted by a woman who has built her brand around pretending to be French. She is not French, she was not born in France,  although she has visited and lived in France.

I am French, I was born there, French was  my first language, I am a native speaker and I speak fluent French.  My mother is French as is that side of my family, numbering over 200 people.  I have a deep and personal understanding of the French language and culture.

So while we were on this webinar which was marketing a program, this woman kept using the phrase ‘ n’importe quoi’  in an important and direct way. I was surprised because it is not a polite phrase in French. You would use it in the same way you would tell someone who was trying to manipulate or fool you, to say ‘that’s BS’.

She kept saying it because she thought it meant ‘no matter what’. If you translate it directly that is what it means but it is not used that way in spoken French, which is a very nuanced language. French people understand that and any French person on that webinar would have been shocked to hear her say that, as was I. So I emailed her saying that what she said was incorrect, as that phrase was considered  to be quite rude, and maybe she should limit her language to English, which she knew.

In professional circles you would never say ‘n’importe quoi’ to someone you were speaking to and whose respect you wanted,  not even as a joke. French people do not joke in professional situations and vulgarity is considered to be very bad manners, something the French take very seriously.

So a word to the wise, if you are going to  try to impress your audience with your knowledge of a foreign language, or use a foreign language as a platform, make sure you are using it correctly and are not inadvertently using profanity and disrespecting your audience.

5.  Consider how you want your audience to perceive you. If you want to be seen as ‘one of the guys’ and you don’t care about professionalism or education or even courtesy, you can speak in any way you want. But if you want to appear to be an expert, a professional, and appeal to your audiences as a professional, you should use professional language and that does not include profanity.

If that is your normal way of speaking then you should practice not using it until you can speak using more professional language. It is not worth appealing to a few people who may find profanity funny or appealing, while alienating the majority.

For marketers and professionals who want to be both relatable and respected, it’s often more effective to cultivate authenticity through genuine connection rather than the shock value of profanity.

Should you use profanity? I personally find it very unprofessional and distracting.

So what are you going to do? Risk using profanity for its shock value or find other ways to communicate? I suggest the latter. You do not need to use profanity to get attention and risk the negative attention. You can be more authentic and impressive in the longer term by being professional and using language that doesn’t shock, alienate, or distress your audience.

Let me give you a side bar story (hear it on the podcast)

It is always better to err on the side of caution, to be the epitome of professionalism and expertise because it’s the internet and you do not know who is watching or listening. It could be someone with that next big contract or opportunity but if they find your language objectionable because it is laced with profanity and words that would never be used in a professional setting (especially in the international business world), you would lose out.

When a mature professional—especially someone branding herself as a “marketing maven” or “online money coach”—uses profanity, it can create a jarring mismatch between the image of seasoned expertise and the language choice.

For clients looking for guidance from someone experienced, mature, and trustworthy, profanity can be distracting, even off-putting. The title “marketing maven” or ‘expert’ suggests a level of authority, knowledge, and professionalism, qualities that many expect to be conveyed through more refined communication. For clients, especially those looking for a serious, actionable approach to marketing and finances, this style can feel out of balance and out of congruence  with the values they’re hoping to find in a mentor.

For professionals in her age group or industry, credibility often comes from experience, wisdom, and a polished approach. By keeping communication clear, direct, and respectful, a coach or maven reinforces authority and builds trust in ways that unfiltered language simply doesn’t.

Save the profanity for your private life and in the business world use language that expresses the competence and expertise that you bring to your business, audience, and your market.

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