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On the warpath with Native American mascots

by Jeffery Racheff Neon headdresses. Gleaming tomahawk axes. Half-naked men covered in war paint – these are not the sights of a Native American war dance. No, they’re staples of American sporting events. Indian images, mascots and logos are ubiquitous at football and baseball games, and there are countless teams throughout the country that use…

Oasis of the Seas: the Titanic times five

In many ways, a cruise is the ultimate vacation. You get to travel, relax in the sun, watch live shows, dance and drink, all within a few steps of your own room. It’s like Vegas on the high seas. And if cruise ships are like hotel-casinos with rudders, then the MS Oasis of the Seas…

Naming and Branding in Downtown, South America

  • About: Naming

I’ve taken a year-long sabbatical from naming to pursue scholarly interests in Quito, Ecuador. Even though I’m here on non-naming related business, I can’t help myself from noticing the peculiar way in which things are named. I’d be remiss if I didn’t report on some initial findings. And so, I welcome you to the world…

Windows 7: what a name!

  • About: Naming

by Eli Altman I’ve been meaning to write about this for a while, but I’ve been tied up. Let’s get down to it. Why is the new Microsoft OS called Windows 7? If you look at the number of operating systems they’ve released, it should be Windows 12 or so. Maybe it’s named for the…

The only good bug is a dead bug

They scurry in your walls and lurk between your sheets. They bite, sting, hiss and squeak, carving holes and grossing out guests. They’re pests. But more importantly, they’re intruders — and for that they deserve to be annihilated. So how do you go about ridding yourself of these vermin? Do you attack with your own…

Wines That Rock: Keith Richards in a bottle

  • About: Naming

by Jeffery Racheff We all know how rock ‘n’ roll sounds, but have you ever wondered what it tastes like? If so, raise your glasses to Wines That Rock, a new company that wants to officially merge the two staples of reckless abandon – music and liquor – into one spectacular bottle. Your tongue will never…

Why You Should Keep Investors out of the Branding Process

  • About: Naming

The first worry of most business start ups is getting the capital they need to turn a great idea into a marketable product or service. The problem, of course, is that money often comes with strings attached. Once you’ve found investors, you want to keep them, and a lot of investors have strong opinions about…

What Investors for Start Up Business Ventures Know That You Don’t

  • About: Naming

Any time you’re entering into new territory as an entrepreneur, it’s important to find out what the people who have come before you have learned from their experiences. No matter how innovative your start up idea is, more seasoned entrepreneurs and investors know a lot of things that you don’t about running a business and…

WTF to do with corporate acronyms

by Eli Altman Over the weekend I was interviewed by Jacki Lyden on NPR’s Weekend Edition about the Wisconsin Tourism Federation. Recently they got tired of WTF jokes and changed their name to the Tourist Federation of Wisconsin (TFW). I don’t see what the big deal is, but apparently the kind folks at the TFW…

Starbucks introduces the $1 cup of coffee

by Mars Riley Starbucks celebrated National Coffee Day (how did you celebrate it?) by having a taste test between its new instant coffee, Starbucks VIA Ready Brew, and one of their regular coffees. The goal was to prove that it was impossible to tell the difference between the two. Always eager to see a major…