Here's a brief look at American slang in 2014. "Bae," if you've never heard the word before, is a term of endearment used to convey affection toward a significant other or some good thing that's caught your eye. In common parlance, it might be used in a sentence like "She's the bae," indicating that the subject is the speaker's lover or dear friend. It's cute, and it's in vogue with the youngs, having exploded on Instagram and Vine in recent months. Unfortunately, it may be time to kill the word off entirely now that #brands have figured out they can sound like the #teens by using it. Exposing these missteps is the Twitter account Brands Saying Bae, and it's high time we commend their all-too-necessary work.
For example: BAE can also refer to BAE System, a British aerospace and security company. AT&T is excited about partnering with BAE. Should anyone be calling BAE the bae? No. Still, we have this embarrassing little faux pas:
The evolution of a brand. Inspiring. pic.twitter.com/3yocN23LY6
— Brands Saying Bae (@BrandsSayingBae) December 28, 2014
Arby's is equally confused:
Do whatever it takes to connect with your customer base. pic.twitter.com/Ih4LPtMFGi
— Brands Saying Bae (@BrandsSayingBae) December 28, 2014
And the appropriation of urban youth culture doesn't even start there! What is this supposed to mean?
Wait a second... a brand tweeted this? But it says "on fleek" - that's not something a brand would normally tweet! pic.twitter.com/6nf5u5tEMA
— Brands Saying Bae (@BrandsSayingBae) December 28, 2014
This account, in exposing corporate silliness, is the best we've seen since the CIA burst onto Twitter with its own form of comedic gold. Right now, internet, we implore you. Stop these brands before they bae again.