# Cyber Speak Store Fronts BCBG Max Azria Uses Texting Lingo In Window Displays By Christina Butty | Published 2009-06-16 | Marketing Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/mainstream-texting-ads-bcbg-max-azria-cyber-lingo-window-displays References: [bcbg](http://www.bcbg.com/home/index.jsp) It’s official, text messaging lingo has come out of the cyber realm and landed in mainstream society. I was amused when I saw these ads at the BCBG in Toronto, Canada, which feature texting shorthand as part of a window display. While the phrases used (lol, fyi, and omg) are pretty common and have been around for quite some time, I’ve never seen a company use them in a print ad for a window display. By doing this, BCBG Max Azria has legitimized texting shorthand and given it validity as colloquial English. Wow! The English language just got a whole lot more complicated. I wonder if we’ll be talking in cyber shorthand soon? ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 1.8/10 - Popularity: 21% | Activity: 25% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America, Europe, Asia ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Marketing](https://www.trendhunter.com/marketing) > [Print](https://www.trendhunter.com/print) ## Key Themes ### What Makes This Trend Stand Out - **Mainstream Adoption of Texting Lingo:** BCBG Max Azria's use of texting shorthand in window displays highlights the growing acceptance and integration of texting lingo into mainstream society. - **Creative Incorporation of Language in Advertising:** The use of texting abbreviations in print ads presents an opportunity for companies to create attention-grabbing and relatable advertising campaigns. - **Legitimization of Cyber Shorthand:** BCBG Max Azria's incorporation of texting lingo in their window displays validates and legitimizes the use of cyber shorthand as a recognized form of language. ### Sectors Adopting This - **Fashion Retail:** Fashion retailers can tap into the trend by incorporating texting lingo in their marketing campaigns and in-store displays to appeal to tech-savvy consumers. - **Advertising and Marketing:** Ad agencies and marketers can explore the use of texting abbreviations in advertising strategies to engage younger demographic and create a sense of familiarity. - **Language and Communication:** The integration of texting shorthand into mainstream society opens up new opportunities for language experts, educators, and linguists to study and analyze its impact on communication. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Live Commerce Holiday Windows](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/holiday-windows.md) - [Phygital Vintage Shops](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/byronesque.md) - [Text Message Shopping Services](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/textual.md) - [Text Messenger Checkout Applications](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/postscript.md) - [Live Shopping Flagships](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/outlandish.md) - [Text-Based Shopping Features](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/walmart-4.md) - [Text-to-Shop Retail Services](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/walmart-text-to-shop.md) - [Conversational E-Commerce Features](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/attentive.md) - [Athletic Apparel Interactive Billboards](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/shoplift-campaign.md)