Know-How Exchange : Taglines/Names

Generally speaking, get the punctuation correct or invite ridicule. I agree that in advertising that punctuation is often neglected, but when it is, it will be for a very good reason.

Grammatically, “Product” shouldn’t have an apostrophe at all. In you example, it indicates the possessive, though it can also, by convention, indicate a missing letter. In classic grammar, inanimate objects cannot be the subject of the possessive, though modern usage appears to favour a relaxation of the rules.

The good reason I cited above could include a word included in a heading or title, where for reasons of modern convention, almost all punctuation is abandoned including full stops (periods to the Americans), commas and inverted commas.

The time to revert to the correct utilisation of punctuation is when ambiguity would otherwise arise and this is potentially one of those cases. Another is when the headline is plain silly and reflects badly on the advertiser. The best example of this is the “Grocer’s Apostrophe” See:
https://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&lr=&oi=definer&q=define:greengrocer%2...

Or put “Define: apostrophe” into a Google search (Without the inverted commas)

Also read Lyn Truss’s book “Eats Shoots and Leaves” which has been a run-away best seller in the UK and is growing in popularity in the USA. It has suddenly made punctuation a very sexy topic!

Leaving the apostrophe out of your example will not harm the message and it is arguable that as it appears to be a title or a heading, the rules of grammatical and classical punctuation can be suspended but it does leave the phrase open to several interpretations – with or without the apostrophe.

Woutkok’s explanation demonstrates the ambiguity contained in your original Phrase. Its intended meaning as written is probably none of the ones he proffered; it should be “The outlook of global products” but most readers would interpret it any of the ways presented, two of which are not that which you intended!

Why not re-write it so that it is unambiguous?

Best Wishes

Steve Alker
Unimax Solutions