# Vastly different products with the same name **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 22, 2013, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vastly-different-products-with-the-same-name/674550 "2013-11-22T18:33:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Neidhart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Neidhart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neidhart)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2013, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vastly-different-products-with-the-same-name/674550/41 "2013-11-25T14:22:13Z")
There’s Timberland clothing, Timberland Bancorp and Timbaland the rapper. Oshkosh Corporation makes trucks and has nothing to do with Oshkosh B’Gosh children’s clothes. Cato Corporation, which even has a logo similar to the Cato Institute’s, makes women’s clothing. Amused the hell out of me when I ran across it. There are several unrelated Giant supermarket chains across the country. ---
**Author:** ![Moonlitherial](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4bbf92/32.png) [@Moonlitherial](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moonlitherial)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2013, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vastly-different-products-with-the-same-name/674550/42 "2013-11-25T15:41:48Z")
Smarties. In the US they are a [tiny powdery hard candy](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/29/Bowl_of_smarties.jpg). In Canada and the UK they’re [a better milk chocolate M&M](http://static.giantbomb.com/uploads/original/6/64075/2547701-2340101726-smart.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2013, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vastly-different-products-with-the-same-name/674550/43 "2013-11-25T19:01:27Z")
[LexisNexis](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LexisNexis) has been around for a long time, as a legal database (the Lexis business) and a news database (the Nexis business). The Wikipedia article mentions that they did sue Toyota when the car company started its Lexus division. ---
**Author:** ![spotthegerbil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@spotthegerbil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spotthegerbil)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2013, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vastly-different-products-with-the-same-name/674550/44 "2013-11-25T22:47:44Z")
Dolce and Gabbana were asked to prove they had a [presence in the car industry by a local chain of garages](http://metro.co.uk/2012/03/15/dg-autocare-win-david-and-goliath-legal-battle-with-dolce-gabbana-353232/) called D&G Autocare ---
**Author:** ![FatBaldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecd19e/32.png) [@FatBaldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FatBaldGuy)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2013, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vastly-different-products-with-the-same-name/674550/45 "2013-11-25T23:16:19Z")
Not exactly the same name, but enough of a sound-alike to cause confusion. The other day I was half listening to the TV and heard a commercial for [BelVita Breakfast Biscuits](http://www.belvitabreakfast.com/). My brain instantly came to a screeching halt. Why in the world would they pick a name for a supposedly healthy breakfast food that sounds just like a brand of processed cheese? ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2013, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vastly-different-products-with-the-same-name/674550/46 "2013-11-26T01:16:30Z")
VAX Is it a brand of vacuum cleaners, a vacation service for travel agents or a minicomputer? All three, oddly enough. ---
**Author:** ![runningdude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e9c0ed/32.png) [@runningdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/runningdude)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2013, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vastly-different-products-with-the-same-name/674550/47 "2013-11-26T02:02:42Z")
> [@Pixel\_Dent](#): > > In our neighborhood it’s particularly bad since there’s a Lowes hardware store and a Lowes Foods grocery store in the same plaza. After a couple missed connections we’ve learned to be very explicit when referring to them. Near where I live, they tore down the Loews Movie Theater to build a Lowes Home Improvement store… ---
**Author:** ![Harvey\_The\_Heavy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Harvey\_The\_Heavy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harvey_The_Heavy)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2013, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vastly-different-products-with-the-same-name/674550/48 "2013-11-29T16:55:21Z")
Champion: Sportswear, spark plugs and [embalming fluid](http://thechampioncompany.com/). ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2013, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vastly-different-products-with-the-same-name/674550/49 "2013-11-29T17:11:10Z")
> [@Ethilrist](#): > > If you want to celebrate your daughter’s 21st birthday, make sure the Magnum you buy her is champagne, and not the extra-large condoms. And while you may want to buy her a [Magic Bullet](http://www.walmart.com/ip/As-Seen-on-TV-Magic-Bullet-Express-Blender-and-Mixer-System-17-piece-Set/15707852?action=product_interest&action_type=title&placement_id=irs_top&strategy=PWVAV&visitor_id=44322988729&category=0%3A4044%3A90548%3A90546%3A4831&client_guid=b8bf2c6a-fa2e-4cbb-a293-a972395c002e&config_id=2&parent_item_id=3611642&guid=786b873f-8fb9-4820-831e-32a5509d9f1c&bucket_id=irsbucketdefault&findingMethod=p13n), you should probably leave it to her favorite aunt to buy her a [Magic Bullet](http://www.amazon.com/Function-Magic-Bullet-Waterproof-Vibrator/dp/B002IIFDJA/ref=pd_sxp_f_pt). ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2013, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vastly-different-products-with-the-same-name/674550/50 "2013-11-29T17:46:37Z")
> [@bibliophage](#): > > In company names rather than products, Lowe’s is a hardware retailer. Loews is a conglomerate with its hands in oil drilling, gas pipelines, and luxury hotels And the conglomerate took its name from the Loew’s theater chain, which became Loews when the Tisch brothers bought full control of the chain from MGM. The theaters have since been sold and are now part of AMC. Which was formerly American Multi Cinema and has nothing to do with the cable channel. ---
**Author:** ![Filbert](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/filbert/32/3433_2.png) [@Filbert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Filbert)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2013, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vastly-different-products-with-the-same-name/674550/51 "2013-11-29T17:50:24Z")
Ubuntu. It’s both an operating system, and a brand of cola. ---
**Author:** ![Accidental\_Martyr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ce7236/32.png) [@Accidental\_Martyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Accidental_Martyr)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2013, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vastly-different-products-with-the-same-name/674550/52 "2013-11-29T18:06:22Z")
> [@Do\_Not\_Taunt](#): > > Lowes Foods made me think of Cisco (the maker of routers, among other computer equipment) and Sysco (industrial food supplier.) Also, there’s Costco (the well-known warehouse retailer) and Cosco, which seems to be some sort of shipper. Don’t forget Cisco “wine”. 😉 > **[BumWine.com - Cisco](http://www.bumwine.com/cisco.html)** > > Exploring the five best known bum wines. ---
**Author:** ![picunurse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@picunurse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picunurse)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2013, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vastly-different-products-with-the-same-name/674550/53 "2013-11-29T18:14:35Z")
> [@TBG](#): > > Never heard of the ice cream one. Must be a lot more regional than the one that is synonymous with chocolate. [Here](http://www.magnumicecream.com/) ya go. It’s the best ice cream bar ever. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vastly-different-products-with-the-same-name/674550.md?page=2)