Yes, as expert marketers, we are truly gutted about the demonisation of the em dash.
Or in UK writing more specifically, the spaced en dash which is basically the same as its American counterpart and just as evil nowadays.
For the purpose of this blog, let’s lump them together so we don’t lose our minds… to find out why we’re so affected by the fall of our favourite little grammatical superhero.
What on earth is an em dash?
If you have no idea what we’re talking about, it’s basically the ‘—’ in writing.
Good writing.
Really bloomin’ good writing.
It’s used to mimic conversational rhythm and dynamic pauses, helping sentences pivot smoothly without needing a full stop. And crucially, because it’s used in great writing (did we mention that!?), it’s frequently found in AI’s massive training data of books, articles, and essays.
Why is this a problem?
This is a massive problem for experienced copywriters across the globe.
Because it means that the robots have latched onto the em dash with a passion, and heap it across every piece of text they produce like it’s parmesan in an Italian restaurant.
It’s prolific in any form of writing you ask it to create, and typically, they don’t use it in the same way as a human writer would. With short, functional sentences and a lack of depth or meaning, the copy AI produces can often feel like it’s leaning on the em dash to make it more elaborate or informative than it actually is.
Here’s an example of how it’s often used in AI-produced copy:
‘Artificial intelligence has truly changed how we write—or at least, how we format our thoughts—on a daily basis. The modern digital landscape is shifting—rapidly and without warning—leaving many writers wondering if their unique voice is fading—or if it is simply evolving alongside the technology. We strive for authenticity—a rare commodity in an automated world—yet we find ourselves relying on familiar patterns—the very fingerprints of a machine trying too hard to sound profound—as if punctuation could replace genuine intent.’
See what we mean…!?
So what does this mean for copywriters and marketers?
The trouble is, it’s now almost blasphemous to use these gorgeous little punctuation marks in marketing.
And if you dare to, you MUST have used AI… making you a lazy lazy marketer!
Which – to those of us who have spent our lives honing our writing skills – is such a shame.
Because the em dash truly is a master when used correctly (and more sparingly than AI would ever believe). It’s versatile, elegant, and so incredible at drawing a deeper meaning from the words you choose.
It provides context, allows your reader to reflect, and can even deliver a sucker punch that they didn’t see coming.
It’s just… Amazingly. Good. Writing.
But now that it seems to be the universal test for whether you’ve used AI in your writing or not, many clients don’t want anything to do with it. Even if it helps the copy flow, they’d rather whack in a full stop or a comma which feels entirely out of context.
But we get it. It’s a compromise we have to make to show that we genuinely are doing the work, using our own creative brains, and demonstrating those years of hard work that AI is slowly trying to strip away from us.
We’ll miss you em dash!
So now, unless something changes, it’s lost to those of us who know how to use it well.
And while we may sprinkle it here and there on occasion, we certainly won’t ever use the em dash like we used to. Which is a shame… but we’re sure we’ll get over it (eventually).
Farewell little dash, we’ll miss you!