Company Names That Don`t Exist
There has been no formal explanation from Mars, Inc. as to why kudos, the deliciously popular chocolate bar for breakfast, has disappeared from retailers` shelves. However, some speculate that healthier snack bars have moved in, leaving little room for a candy bar masquerading as a nutritious snack. But it`s a difficult concept to understand in the early days of a business. It`s simply safer to opt for a descriptive name that spelled things out, or at least a word from the dictionary that people know. That`s what all companies do, isn`t it? As with many brands, it`s hard to imagine a life without the Google name. The origins of the name in the misspelling of the word Googol have been covered so often that most people are familiar with it. But this familiarity masks the sheer quirk of the name when it first became prominent. Before the Internet – and search engines – became a part of most people`s lives, the discovery of Google under the plethora of boring and technical names (hello, Microsoft) and metaphors (remember Net Navigatorscape, anyone?) had a huge impact.
Just for fun, we`ve put together this list of the worst company names – perhaps late-night ideas that don`t really stand up to daylight. Let`s look at another cool company name: OTTOMAN EMPIRE. Dissolved areas of unsuccessful conquerors don`t seem likely to be the region most likely to explore business name options. This changes when you put it in the context of making and selling timeless furniture. Do you understand? Taking the term out of context sheds light on the name, while fueling some neural connections that people already have in their brains. If you work at a company that needs to specify a color exactly — or if you`re a fan of stylish home accessories and stationery — you`ll be familiar with the Pantone color system. You probably know it so well that you`ve never thought about the origins of the name. This is true for many successful brand names: the “meaning” behind the name is irrelevant if the name has become a trademark. On closer inspection, the name Pantone probably comes from the combination of the prefix Pan- (which means “all” or “all”) and tone (as in the strength or quality of a color). But after 30 or more years of working with the brand, it wasn`t something I had never thought of. Like most stores that sold hardware music products such as records, turntables, CDs, CD players, etc., Tower Records disappeared in 2006 due to the fact that the market no longer demanded what the store was selling. However, it surprisingly reappeared this month as a pure online store.
Launched in 1971, Koogle was a kraft peanut spread available in four different flavors: chocolate, banana, cinnamon and vanilla. Despite a googly-eyed mascot and fans who have since created a social media page calling for their return, the product was discontinued in the late 70s. AM General`s Hummer was based on the Army`s Humvee, also developed by the military contractor in 1981 and first made public during the first Gulf War. It was Arnold Schwarzenegger who asked AM General to produce a civilian version of the military vehicle called hummer in 1992, and the vehicles were popular with celebrities and those who thirsted for attention. General Motors bought the Hummer brand in 1999, expanded its offering and brought demand to its peak in 2006. As the backlash against gasoline consumers like the Lobster grew and GM suffered arson, the company filed for bankruptcy in 2009 and abandoned the Lobster. At its peak, Blockbuster had nearly 10,000 stores worldwide with sales of nearly $6 billion a year. When the company was approached in the 1990s by a small startup called Netflix that offered DVDs in the mail, Blockbuster scoffed at the offer to collaborate for $50 million.
When Netflix soared, Blockbuster filed for bankruptcy in 2010 and closed its remaining video rentals in 2013. Competition, a challenging economy and a young clientele whose tastes had changed are just some of the reasons for the closure of more than 500 Merry Go-Round clothing stores in shopping malls in the mid-1990s. One last desperate attempt to defuse fashion was made to save the company, but to no avail. As name specialists, this is a big question – a question we are constantly asked. The advertising industry has Mad Men. Medical staff have House and ER and Scrubs. In 2014, the tech industry finally has a series that accurately reflects (and mocks) the struggles to grow up in Silicon Valley. Hooli is the Google-like conglomerate of the HBO series Silicon Valley.
The protagonist Richard Hendricks worked there before founding his own company, Pied Piper. Hooli`s representation of Silicon Valley is so accurate that Google even confirmed it in an easter egg last August. Explore the potential areas, then focus on the most fertile ones. And remember: naming is essentially a “no” process. Don`t let the amount you throw away – so focus on the answer. This list is not only a fun and challenging adventure through the last decades of television and film. We can learn a lesson or two about naming these non-existent corporate giants; maybe your startup needs a name that reads like an Acme but conveys the reach of a Globex. Could we suggest GlobeMe? Sometimes it is a merger that makes a deal, as is the case with many airlines. In other cases, a business model becomes obsolete, such as Fotomat or Blockbuster. And for some, unfortunately, bad business decisions lead to the demise of a company. Why does it work? Well, it sounds and looks so strange and awkward that it has to be authentic! And the double A and imaginative umlaut give it an exotic, European feel, that`s exactly what you want from ice cream.