The colorful language of deceit

In my last post I discussed how some suffixes like –gatewere very popular in the English language, spawning dozens of new words to describe scandals and controversies (e.g. “bridgegate” or “deflategate”). However, suffixes such as –zilla are used in narrow areas, such as terms related to marriage (“bridezilla”).

A different suffix is ​​often used to denote fraudulent behavior by corporations, politicians, and others. “-Washing” has been combined with an almost dizzying array of color terms to draw attention to a range of problematic behaviors.

Although such terms are widely used on the Internet, only a few have become popular enough to be included in a dictionary. Therefore, a primer on these colorful terms may be useful.

Original –washing This term is “whitewashing”, which can be defined as hiding flaws or mistakes in order to create the appearance of virtue. First used in this way in the early 18th century, it is a metaphorical extension of the much earlier practice of using low-quality white paint or chalk to beautify fences or walls. Just as you can cover up blemishes on wood or other surfaces, you can cover up the less attractive features of a person or organization with a good public relations campaign.

Colorful coins

Bleaching may have been the first term of its kind, but many others have joined it. For example, greenwashing creates the illusion of environmental care by corporations that are not known for positive environmental practices, such as when an oil company promotes its recycling efforts. Greenwashing was first used in this way by environmentalists in the mid-1980s.

A related term is “bluewashing”, which comes from the color of the United Nations flag. The UN promoted its Global Compact in 2000 to encourage companies to crack down on corruption, human rights violations and other social problems. Unfortunately, many companies have publicly shown that they have joined in but have done little to allay these humanitarian concerns.

Pinwashing also dates back to the early 21st century, in which an organization may promote LGBTQ+ inclusion, for example by airing advertisements in June (Pride Month). The color pink has long been associated with homosexuality: for example, the Nazis forced gay people to wear pink triangles on their clothes, and the LGBTQ+ community reclaimed the color, as did the word “queer”.

“Redwashing” originated in 2010 and has been used in several different ways. In one application, a politician or organization may promote liberal policies such as social equality to appear more progressive than they actually are. In this case, the color red associates behavior with leftist or socialist ideals.

The term has also been used in Canada to describe companies that support indigenous peoples in an attempt to improve their image. In this case, “red” refers to the skin color stereotypically associated with Native Americans.

Another colorful term is “purplewashing.” This refers to the cynical use of the ideals of feminism and women’s empowerment in order to be more attractive to women. When this is achieved through commercial messages, it may be called by the less fluid term “fem advertising”.

How about “brownwashing” or “blackwashing”? These terms refer to the transformation of white historical figures into actors of color. Colorblind casting, as it is also called, has been the subject of debate for characters in films such as Gladiator II and the upcoming Cleopatra biopic.

The term “graying” is sometimes used to describe the deceptive marketing of products that claim to slow the aging process.

The color orange has even been adopted to describe such practices: “Orangewashing” refers to fraudulent cryptocurrency practices and is also used to call out publishers who merely appear to promote open access publications. (Why orange? That’s the color of both the Bitcoin logo and the open access logo.)

Other forms of “-washing”

However, not all such terms refer to colors. “Sportswashing” refers to attempts to improve the image of a country or its government by hosting sporting competitions such as the Olympic Games. It comes from the beginning of 2010. In a similar vein, the government could organize a music festival featuring popular artists, which could lead to accusations of “pop laundering” by a regime trying to improve its reputation.

“Momwashing” refers to companies that cynically espouse pro-family values. An example would be a corporation with a restrictive family leave policy that posts paeans to motherhood on its social media accounts.

The latest addition to this group of words appears to be “sensewashing”: attempts by journalists to present a politician and his words in the best possible light, for example by ignoring controversial or chaotic statements made at rallies or other political events.

How good –washing campaigns work? This seems to depend on how skillfully they are managed, because those responsible risk alienating as many people as they attract.

For example, there have been high-profile cases of incorrect washing of pink. The most notable may be the 2023 Bud Light boycott, when Anheuser-Busch tried to broaden the appeal of its beer with a promotion that featured transgender woman Dylan Mulvaney. Reaction to the company from more conservative customers lowered Bud Light’s sales as well as the stock price of parent company AB InBev.

Such failures can, of course, be survivable, but they illustrate the dangers of relying on deception to enhance one’s reputation – no matter how colorful these practices may be.