Is "tiny" a new marketing tool?

"Tinycards - get the app,"  ran the new offer from my favorite language learning site, Duolingo.  I was intrigued by the name.  What in the heck was a "tinycard"?

Even though the description of tinycards included the word "flashcards" (not really my favorite learning method), I still downloaded the free app on my mobile devices because the name, "tinycards" was something new.  And I must admit that Duolingo has made rote learning into a very entertaining game.  You can try it for yourself at Tinycards.  

Then I tuned into HGTV,  my favorite TV show when I am busy with kitchen duties.  "Tiny houses" are the topic of frequent episodes - "Tiny House Hunters," "Tiny House Builders," "Tiny House, Big Living," to name a few.

I tried to recall in what context I had heard the adjective "tiny" used previously.  Of course every Christmas season,  Dickens' character Tiny Tim provides us with warm, fuzzy feelings towards our fellow man. I was now on a mission to find out if "tiny" is becoming a popular product name.

 A quick Google search confirmed my suspicions.  You can  place a stationery order online with "Tiny Prints."  If you want to shorten a URL, you can go to "TinyURL.com."  NPR will provide you with "Tiny Desk Concerts," an intimate musical experience, and you can get involved with "Tiny Rockets," a new niche in the small satellite launch market.

arstechnica.com

But why the choice of  "tiny'?  Why not "little,"  "petite," "minute," "miniature," or even "wee,"  all legitimate synonyms?  Does "tiny" convey a special shade of meaning?  "Tiny" to me feels, first of all, non-threatening, affectionate, and desirable.  I must admit to a love of small objects, which my collections of miniature liquor bottles, small travel souvenirs, and little pots of succulent plants and cacti can bear witness.

So I move into the world of conjecture.  Are we looking for an antidote to the concept of "bigness"? We no longer exist just in our small communities but view ourselves as citizens of the world.  We may soon begin to conquer the vast expanses of space with exploration of Mars.  Our TV screens have become so huge that they dominate regular size family rooms.  We often hear about the virtues of downsizing and minimalist life styles. Are we weary of being asked if we want to super-size food and drink orders?

"Tiny" has my attention. I want to put more "tiny"into my life.   Now if dress manufacturers will only rename my usual dress size of medium to tiny, I'll be even more impressed with the power of adjectives.