There is a dinghyload of great blogs out there, but only a few have names that play well off of the content and spirit of the material. Some of our favorite blog names, that also deliver great content:
Gawker may be the cream of the wheat. C’mon, say it in your best Edith Bunker voice.
Blog Sisters: Where men can link, but they can’t touch
Mother, May I Sleep With Treacher?
Let us know what we’ve missed!
13 months, 250 interviews, 4,500 contributions from Torontonians, 14 focus groups in 3 countries. All this to tell the world the Toronto story.All that, and 4 million dollars down the sewer, and the mega-city has announced Toronto Unlimited to tell the Toronto story.
Toronto has become a city built in the image of its own people, fed by the many influences of its ever-changing human fabric, one that is constantly unfolding and alive with potential and energy.Not everyone is happy with the logo, the tagline or the branding concept.
Torontonians display a level of openness unlikely in any city, let alone a city of Toronto’s size and magnitude. It is metropolitan, yet it feels as intimate as a village. Its welcoming spirit has attracted millions of people from all corners of the world, making up a deep and culturally rich human mosaic. Toronto doesn’t have a Chinatown, it has three of them. It doesn’t just have a Caribbean festival, it has the largest one outside of the Caribbean. Toronto isn’t just diverse, it’s the most diverse city in the world. Toronto is a culture of cultures, a place of infinite opportunities where everybody is appreciated for how they stand out, not for how they fit in. Torontonians don’t look to settle their differences, they are inspired by them. Torontonians celebrate humanity.
What makes Toronto such a uniquely interesting place is answered by a constantly growing list: its innovative architecture, its theatre district, the hundreds of ethnic restaurants, the character of its neighborhoods, its accepting legislation, a multi-talented workforce, museums that are themselves works of art, the stories of its street corners, its cleanliness, the International Film Festival, the parks, the lake, the celebration of humanity. . . In short, Toronto is a city built with and for the limitless imaginations of the people that come here. And it is these people that make Toronto the city of imagination.
A true City of Tourism, Toronto is the perfect place for the traveler seeking a unique urban experience. With so much to offer the imagination, Toronto has become the City of Business, a place where the diversity of the population creates possibility. This also makes it the perfect City of Meetings as the city has always been an ideal gathering place.
The resulting cultural diversity is reflected in the numerous ethnic neighbourhoods of the city; and the proliferation of authentic shops and restaurants derived from cultures around the world makes the city one of the most exciting places in the world to visit. Moreover, the relative tranquility that mediates between such diverse populations is a testament to the tolerant character of Canadian society.And Toronto Tourism already has the Welcome poster for the campaign that articulates best the brand that Toronto lives and breathes.
The moon is waning gibbous AND it’s the last Monday of the month, which can only mean one thing. It’s time for the branding news from Belgium.
At this years big biotech conference, BIO 2OO5, Belgium unveiled a new campaign designed to help it woo investors called, “Chocolate, Beer…and Biotech”. This new campaign plays nicely off past Belgian efforts, “Chocolate, Beer and Nonferrous Metals”, “Carbonnades Flamandes, Unguents and Pickled Eel” and the well received “Chocolate, Beer, Both Are Here”.
While Belgium is anchoring its biotech message with tradition, expertise and a call back to craftsmanship, Singapore is hanging its hopes on “Biopolis”, an unintentionally terrifying depiction of a city post biowarfare.
And the Boy Scouts of Belgium is having trouble meeting its recruiting quota, as the government is making illegal their biggest draw, killing chickens. We’ll choke before making the obvious joke.
Chrysler is recycling, but it’s not as earth friendly as it sounds. They are recycling the name “Aspen”, from a forgettable Mopar car model of the seventies and christening a new SUV with the name. From the Detroit News, via Truckblog:
The new full-size SUV from Chrysler coming out next summer may have a familiar-sounding name to the 30-and-over crowd.
It will be called the Chrysler Aspen, borrowing a name last used on a passenger car for the Dodge brand in the late 1970s, according to sources familiar with the plan.
The name underscores Chrysler’s aim to position the vehicle — like the Colorado ski town — as both rugged and upscale. The name Aspen was enthusiastically approved when Chrysler tested it with consumers.
Based on the current Dodge Durango, the Chrysler Aspen will be the first full-size SUV for DaimlerChrysler AG’s Chrysler brand. It is scheduled to debut at the Detroit North American International Auto Show in January.
Launched in 1976 with a twin vehicle known as the Plymouth Volare, the original Dodge Aspen was marketed as “the family car of the future” because of its attractive base price of around $3,300 and comfortable interior.
But sales of the car were hurt by a series of recalls and declining interest in Detroit’s big passenger cars, which were costly to fill up during the 1970s oil embargo.
The bland styling of the Aspen and Volare — even with optional wood-siding and vinyl roofs — also kept the cars from becoming big hits, said Richard Bowman, president of the Walter P. Chrysler Club, a classic Chrysler collector group in Kalamazoo. “That was not one of Chrysler’s better eras,” he said.
But Chrysler’s new SUV should not be tainted by its namesake, said Jim Sanfilippo, an industry analyst with AMCI Corp. in Detroit. It was too short-lived, having been replaced in the early 1980s by Chrysler’s boxy K-Car.
“Aspen did not leave an indelible negative mark on Chrysler imagery,” Sanfilippo said. “It’s just not there.”
Fair enough, ’tis true consumers have attention spans far shorter than 25 years, and further, they process these names in context, never associating one application of a name with another. A tip of the hat to Chrysler for understanding this basic concept, and for breaking free of the tired notion of naming SUVs after western geographical references.
[ More posts about naming products | More posts about naming companies ]
Sometimes it all just comes together. Actually it never just comes together. But the confluence of hard work, contrarianism, and vision that is the Green House Project is a thing of beauty on each and every level. The folks at Green House have remade the stagnant and stagnating nursing home model into a positive celebration of life. And followed through with great naming and branding to boot. From their website:
The Green House is designed to be a home for eight to ten elders. It blends architecturally with neighboring homes, includes vibrant outdoor space, and utilizes aesthetically appealing interior features. The first Green House were designed by Richard McCarty, the McCarty Company, in Tupelo Mississippi. Richard and Dr. Thomas collaborated to create an environment that would be a home to the elders. The result was a house where each elder has a private living space with a private bathroom. Elder’s rooms receive high levels of sunlight and are situated around the hearth, an open kitchen and dining area. While adhering to all codes required by licensure, Green Houses looks and feels like a home, and contain few medical signposts…
…The Shahbaz or elder assistant is the direct care provider who prepares the meals and maintains the household in the Green House. Shahbazim are certified nursing assistants who have advanced training. They work as a self managed work team to complete assignments, scheduling and all of the work in the household. They are coached by a guide, usually the administrator and advised by a sage, who is a community dwelling volunteer elder. There is a clinical support team available to the elders and the Shahbazim. The clinical team visits the house to provide skilled nursing and therapy.
The word Green House is nicely repurposed to reflect the idea of individual houses rather than the long-corridored, anonymous, institutional model. And of course a greenhouse is a protected, nurturing, life-affirming environment.
Let’s also note that the residents are participants in Green House Project, not residents of something called Green House. Calling it Green House Project helps reinforce the idea of mind-share ownership for the residents, and the term “Project” conveys an ongoing quest, a sense of continual experimentation. Nicely done.
The term “Shahbaz” is in place to signal that this is an entirely new model, free from the constraints of the pervasive system. “Shahbaz” demonstrates rather than explains that break and as any Shahbaz will attest, is a self-propelled conversation starter.
“Shahbaz” is a Persian term for “royal falcon”, and is the name of a helpful bird in a short story written by Green House founder Dr. Thomas. The word’s definition is random in this application, but its quality of mystery is what makes it well chosen to define a new concept and to prompt people to constantly ask, “What’s a Shahbaz?”
Getting the public interested enough to lean forward and ask questions, enabling you to engage them in a conversation, is always a big win.
One more thing they got right is the collateral surrounding the Green House identity, where, thank goodness, you won’t find the color green.
With the construction of the Touareg Popemobile, Volkswagen will join the ranks of GM, Fiat, Peugeot, Renault, Toyota and Mercedes-Benz, all manufacturers which have made vehicles for the Pope over the past two decades. From the papacys early beginnings, Popes have usually been presented with some of the finest vehicles on earth. Pope Pius XI favored Isotta Fraschini limousines, while his successor, Pius XII had several Cadillacs built, including one with an adjustable throne. Other world-class vehicles include the famed 1964 Lincoln Continental four-door convertible, a Chrysler Imperial, and a number of top-of-the-line Mercedes-Benz limousines.Automotive experts point to this as a well-orchestrated product placement for Volkswagen.
In comparison, Pope John Paul II took a different approach to the Popemobile. With the exception of his personal vehicle, a long-wheelbase Lancia sedan based on the Dialagos concept, his touring vehicles have primarily been white-colored SUVs. When he visited Toronto for World Youth Days in 2002, he used a Mercedes-Benz G-Class and ML430, while on his first trip to England, his ride was the Land Rover Range Rover.
Expected to make its debut this August at the 2005 World Youth Days in Cologne, Germany, this will be a unique, one-off converted Touareg, customized and built especially for the Popes visit. Interestingly, this news has a slight German cultural twist to it - a German SUV, a German event, and of course, the German Pope. A carefully coordinated match-up, or a coincidence? Heaven only knows.One car buff thinks the Popemobile should have been ordered from Ferrari's prancing horse stable. But the former Cardinal Ratzinger was happy to go with Volkswagen since his last VW increased in value.
We are looking to move Igor from the center of San Francisco out to the pricier, waterier fringe. If you are a creative agency in S.F. with some space to let, and you are close to the Embarcadero, give us a call or drop us a line. We’re interested in bunking with an advertising or identity firm, as those are the services our clients need post naming. And if there is one thing we have learned in life, it’s that when a water view is an option, take it.
Which may explain why they describe everything twice. We give you the new Wayfinder Navigator, from the funny Finns at Nokia:
Nokia today added GPS functionality to its handset range with the introduction of a Navigation Pack comprising a 6630 smartphone, a wireless GPS module and the Wayfinder Navigator application.
“Location-based services are among the top consumer choices for new mobile applications,” said Kirsi Kokko, director for smartphone and business solutions at Nokia.
Jonas Sellergren, vice president of product management at Wayfinder Systems, added: “The Wayfinder Navigator in a Nokia smartphone delivers a complete navigation experience that was primarily built into cars.”
Nokia 6630 smartphone users with GPRS can see their position and the easiest route to their destination on a digital map, provided by Tele Atlas.
Once installed Wayfinder’s map selection, which currently covers Western Europe, the Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary and Greece, is ready for use.
Not only has Nokia embraced a descriptive naming strategy for the new product, they’re double dipping. Only when you fully appreciate the layers of different meanings that “Wayfinder” and “Navigator” bring to the table, can you truly bask in the brilliance of smushing them together.
[ More posts about naming products | More posts about naming companies ]
Seven-times world champion Michael Schumacher said the Pontiff’s death had affected the team.Still, Team Ferrari is favored to win again this year with the endorsement of the Pope's German-born successor, Benedict XVI, who blessed dozens of faithful Ferraris that gathered in St. Peter's Square inside the Vatican to receive the Pope's blessing on Sunday. Don't believe me? Doubting Thomases can see for themselves the slideshow photos and video of the Easy-Rider Vatican Meeting 2005.
"The atmosphere is sort of very strange to all of us," said the German, who had met the Pope at the Vatican. "Obviously Germans, Italians feel very connected to the Pope as many other countries do.
"You cannot really explain the words in terms of emotion and feelings that are going on around the team, particularly as we had the visit with the Pope early this year. It’s very sad for us," said Schumacher.
For all of you press agents out there complaining that times are tough, try writing a press release promoting tourism from India to Pakistan. That’s just what the earnest scribbler tasked with writing this release was up against. Our favorite line is the inspirational conclusion:
Clearly, there are far worse places in the world to take a holiday!
