I came across a fantastic article posted in Saturday’s NY Times:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/16/opinion/16heitman.html

It sheds light on Marianne Moore, the famous American writer, who was asked by Ford Motor Company to help solve their naming challenges in 1955.  She offered dreamy and thought-provoking suggestions, such as, “the Ford Silver Sword,” “Intelligent Bullet,” “the Ford Fabergé,” “Mongoose Civique,” “Anticipator,” “Pastelogram,” and “Astranaut.” Sadly, none of them came to fruition.

Imagine if brands today could open themselves up more and inject fresh thinking and innovation by collaborating often with poets, artists, and designers. I think the brand landscape would be more more interesting, compelling, memorable.  Don’t you agree?

- Scott Hauman

August 17, 2009, 11:19am   Comments

Today, the iconic Chicago, Illinois, skyscraper is now named Willis Tower. But a lot of people are not happy about it. There are more than 92,000 people that have joined a group on Facebook called People Against the Sears Tower Name Change. And there are five other Facebook sites, 1 Myspace group and a Twitter group, all dedicated to reverse the name change for the tower. The effort has gathered more than 35,000 signatures on an online petition against the name change. The petition site is here.

The landmark opened in 1973 with its original occupant, Sears Roebuck & Co. Even though Sears has moved its headquarters to suburban Chicago, I admit, I can’t imagine the tower being called something else. Sears was the original occupant since 1973. 

Great quote from a related CNN.com article - “I asked a cabdriver to take me to the Willis tower. He said, ‘Where the hell is that?’” a member of the Facebook group wrote. “That pretty much sums it up. No one will start calling it the Willis Tower.”

This shows us that names have so much meaning and emotion, they connect us to a sense of self, history, and tradition - especially with landmarks and places.  I wonder how the employees of Willis feel about going into work each day in a building that is owned (in the hearts and minds) by another company?

- Scott Hauman

July 16, 2009, 7:55am   Comments