Since my diary-writing days I have been obsessed with words. English was always my favorite subject and reading my favorite pastime.

Throughout college that passion has developed into a love for all types of communication, whether it be through magazines, blogs, social media, hard news, the spoken word or networking events. I’ve taken classes in non-fiction writing, literature, public relations, marketing and interpersonal communication, revising my relationship with the English language along the way. But even when my Type A personality and penchant for details get the best of me, I continue to write because I know that words make the world go ’round.

Without words, we couldn’t read. If we can’t read, we can’t write. If we can’t write, we can’t communicate. And if we can’t communicate, we’re in danger of being uneducated and therefore prone to misunderstandings. Words are not only vital for the advertising copy that educates us about news, issues and brands around the world, but they’re crucial for creating and maintaining relationships between people.

My favorite blogs from this week focus on how words influence people and actions:

If You Were Facebook®, Would You Let Google® Make You Open Your Contacts List? — Company spokespersons are authorities of the written word. So perhaps Google® and Facebook® should end their “war of words” and figure out how to communicate better—both in real life and via the Internet. The SocialTimes and I agree that there’s a definite untapped potential for growth here. It’s a shame that the spokespersons for both brands just can’t stop quarreling.

Make Your Press Materials User-Friendly — A report from the Nielsen Norman Group asserts that there are 5 basic reasons why a journalist visits a press page. Not surprisingly, most of these reasons have to do with spelling and grammar.

The Tech Industry’s PR Problem — This article by PRBreakfastClub argues that tech people have no clue how to talk like normal humans when describing the value of their products or services. Why is this and how can they fix this problem? Technology is a growing industry and it’s hard to sell something if the public doesn’t understand what you’re offering.

What Every PR Rookie Ought to be Doing — One of the skills that Manny Otiko suggests for PR rookies is, of course, to keep their writing skills fresh. With thousands of job losses in the publication industry since 2008, many editors are turning to PR professionals to write content. Practice makes perfect, right?

Word Vomit: Topics That are Better Left Unsaid — If you’ve ever attended a networking event, you know that what you say and how you say it is a direct reflection of your intelligence and sense of professionalism. This brief list from blogger Christina Khoury suggests topics you may and may not want to bring up during your next chapter meeting.

That’s it! Check back next Friday for more interesting reads!**

**As always, feel free to check out my team member page to read my other blogs or share your thoughts in the comments section below. I also share my favorite blog posts via my Google Reader account (Jace122) and my personal Twitter handle @IowaHawkeyeMeg.

There’s an old joke, “What’s the difference between a porcupine and a BMW?” Answer? “With the porcupine the pricks are on the outside.” I think it’s very funny and, quite often, not far from the truth. Not withstanding what you think of people who drive BMWs, in this auto-obsessed country, nothing says as much about us as the brand of car we wrap around ourselves.

The last time I looked, all cars have four wheels, an engine and a steering wheel. But it’s the external image of the individual brands or models that often drives our purchasing decision. It’s essentially a positioning statement of who we are and our value propositions. So what do some car brands say about us?

Chevrolet: “I’m an American, dammit, and I refuse to send my money overseas for a good car.”

Accord: “Who cares if a gazillion people own one too? I’ll never be stuck in the repair shop.”

Mercedes: “Hey everyone, it’s wonderful in here. Sorry you can’t be here with me. Ha, just kidding!”

Prius: “See me? I paid more for this so I could save the planet for the rest of you.”

Hummer: “Screw the planet and the rest of you. I deserve to get where I want in the biggest hunk of metal I can afford.”

Okay, those are just my impressions, but the point is, brands do matter, even as our global economy continually puts more and more low priced commodities out there for us to choose from. In fact, your brand matters more today than ever before. Are you taking care of it? Or does it need a good wash and wax, perhaps some dents straightened … and hey, is that duct tape holding your old logo and positioning line together? Brand image will always affect the market’s interest, the price you can charge and the number of customers who will come back for another purchase.

What do I drive? Um … a BMW. Yeah, some people would probably say that joke was written with people like me in mind.