It makes me angry because, I mean, the whole… argh. The name is a not-terribly-clever variation on “going postal”, as in the cliche where an overstressed postal worker snaps under the work load and kills his co-workers. Is this the image that this business wants to evoke in their customers? It’s also not very respectful for the several people who have died in the creation of this cliche’d term.
I drive by this business several times a month; one day I’ll stop by and ask the manager just what they hell the name is supposed to invoke.
I just reminded myself of another one - the Chrysler Crossfire. Either as a reference to its military definition (using covering fire from multiple angles to pin down or kill more enemies) or to its pop culture meaning (gunfire from a shootout killing or wounding otherwise uninvolved innocent bystanders), it just strikes me as an incredibly stupid and/or callous name for what is basically an overpriced chick magnet.
…So what business or product names do you find inappropriate?
There’s a new Thai restaurant opening up pretty close to me that is going to be called ‘Thai Me Down’. I just can’t help but think of kinky Asian bondage every time I see it. Maybe it’s me…
There used to be a diet pill that was heavily advertised on TV in the 70’s. It was called A.I.D.S. By the late 70’s, they had changed their name to A.Y.D.S. but I doubt that they survived the unfortunate choice of name.
This is probably the kingdom of inappropriate English names, but one that stands out is the bike messenger service I see riding by my office now and then. They probably chose the name to emphasize the speed of their service by mixing the words “speed” and “rapid”, but it still makes me do a double-take when I see a scooter with
As a wee tad, my grandfather and I got rgeat pleasure from a local store, I thikn furnature or something, called “A. Dewey Pyle”, which we decided was a secret group that went out and collected, ahem, “fertilizer” from local cow pastures…
Our local cable company just got bought out and has changed their name. Now they’re “SuddenLink”.
SuddenLink? That’s a terrible name. I associate “sudden” with something surprising and unpleasant. Like, “Suddenly, the wolf charged, baring its fangs,” or something like that. What’s it supposed to mean? Do they plan to surprise us with sudden service interruptions? Or suddenly change prices? I don’t want cable service that’s “sudden”, I want it cheap and reliable. It’s just a horrible, wretched name.
An Indian company sent us some info on their “Swastika” information leaflet. As the name suggested, when erected, it looked like a Swastike from above. I’m aware its a sign of good luck in other cultures, but surely they should know not to send one to Western Europe
There is some sort of business around here with many delivery trucks, each is covered with the name “REEB” that it just tickles me to say backward.
The most astonishing I’ve seen, however, is a work truck …
There is this red, plain utility truck with lockers and such around the sides and back, and always sitting in the cab are a pair of gritty but bored looking guys. On this red truck, in annoying, bubbly yellow lettering, is the single word announcing its presence: Bimbo.
Yes, it’s the Bimbo truck. I have no idea what kind of business it really is, but I nearly crashed into a parked car the first time I passed this mysterious vehicle.
It’s a delivery truck for Grupo Bimbo, a Mexican bread company. They have a manufacture/distribution deal with the bread factory down the street from me.
Not sure why they picked that name. It doesn’t mean anything in Spanish IIRC. The comany was founded in 1945 - does anyone know if “bimbo” meaning “easy girl” was in common usage then?
In Marketing in Business School, there were two (in)famous examples regularly cited;
In Hispanic countries, Chevy continued to market a care by the name of Nova. But “no va” in Spanish, means “it doesn’t go” - bit of a branding issue there…
in the 1920’s, I think, Coca-Cola wanted to market Coke in China, so had someone come up with the Chinese characters that had the phonetic sound of “Coca Cola” and they proceeded to market it under that name. But apparently the characters themselves translated roughly to “bite the wax tadpole.” Hilarity ensues. To this day I have friends I talk with and when we want to hurl profanity at each other we command each to…well…you get the idea…
