It’s not because I was a Brownie as a child, but because I am a writer turned content strategist as an adult. Bear with me while I offer some free brand advice to the Girl Scouts. I’m compelled.

Unless you live far from civilization and any sort of elementary or secondary school, you’ll be familiar with the proud signs that parents skewer into their front lawns, or display in windows, boasting of their children’s accomplishments. They’re handed out by school clubs and sports teams everywhere:

• “A Panther swimmer lives here”
• “Home of a DHS cheerleader”
• “North Central Lacrosse”

These signs help publicize the teams and clubs involved, boost team or school spirit, show pride in the individual kids they celebrate. That’s all good.

So in that spirit, I fully understand the moms and dads whose pride prompts them to plant the sign shown here in their yard. I do. What I don’t understand is the Girl Scouts brand manager who chose this particular wording and let these get produced and shipped out to troop leaders and families. Yes, they have the Girl Scouts logo and show positive sentiment. They show families participating in scouting and demonstrate pride in the program. They prominently display the Girl Scouts logo, recognizable from a distance.

Check, check, check.

But their message is off by one word, and it’s an important word.

Here’s what they should say: “Girl Scouts: An amazing girl lives here.”

By adding the extra word “scout”—“An amazing Girl Scout lives here”—they set up a universe wherein there are Girl Scouts who are not amazing. The Girl Scouts should not allow the possibility of that universe. They should assume that every Girl Scout is amazing, either because only amazing girls would choose scouting, or because scouting will turn any girl into an amazing one. Take your pick. Either way, to the Girl Scouts, the phrase “amazing Girl Scout” should be redundant. From their perspective, if she’s a scout, she should be assumed to be amazing.

So here’s my free advice for the Girl Scouts: Recall and reprint those signs. Words matter, and you can do better.