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Business Slang: Concepting
Feb 4
If I told you “concepting” was coined in Amsterdam, what would you think? Something got lost in translation? Someone spent too much time in coffee shops?
That’s what I wondered. But, it seems the term “concepting”, which was invented 10 years ago by Amsterdam-based Jan Rijkenberg, is the same word in Dutch. That rules out translation errors.
What’s Concepting?
It’s ongoing communication. According to the originator of the term, “concepting” is the development and management of brands that embody concepts. Whew! Think Nike (dedication and excellence). Think Apple (simple, smart, different). Think Pepsi (cool kids).
Is Concepting Just Another Verbification?
“To concept” may easily be a verbification. Most people mean “generating ideas” or “developing concepts” when they say “concepting.” Like many business slang words, “concepting” can be adapted to other parts of speech too. “Concepting” can be used as a noun, sort of like branding (a real word). Or, “concepting” can be used as an adjective, as in “concepting company.” With so much flexibility, it’s easy to work “concepting” into casual conversation. Like many business slang words, people think saying it makes them sound knowledgeable.
Okay, gotta run. I’ll get back to concepting later.
About Business Slang
Business Slang is a weekly feature on KnowHR. It runs every Monday.
In Business Slang, we’ll help you keep up with the latest slang to make the rounds in corporate meetings rooms. You have your favorites, too. Please send your HR and business slang suggestions to business [DOT] slang [AT] knowhr.com – we’ll feature some in an upcoming articles.
About the Author
Sarah Chambers
Sarah founded IFRACTAL with Frank nearly seven years ago after working at PwC and Mercer. With a B.A in psychology and also an MBA from the University of Michigan, she’s won numerous awards for her communication work.
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Sarah, have you found the use of concepting to be prevalant? I have not heard it before. The word itself does not communicate the definition well.
Rick, this is an unusual one, but the word is there…instead of thinking up an idea, it’s making a gerund out of a noun. It just doesn’t flow…obscure slang, to be sure, but used in a specific area in the creative. Ugh to obscure language in any form.
Rick, Friday night, after a groovy sort of interactive show – Fuerza Bruta – someone walking by me said “concepting” a little too loudly. It was the second time I’d heard someone say it in as many days… and in public! Admittedly, I was in NYC. But, I’ve seen it in magazines too. I fear it will make it’s way into general business usage. Already people sometimes use it outside of marketing to mean generating ideas to solve problems. In the land of the creatives it’s a much more common term. It’s sort of like branding, only with concepts.
Sarah, is groovy next Monday’s word? You were not even born by end of the 60s. Are you allowed to use it:)