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Business Names with no meaning

Billct2

Billct2

Active Member
There was a thread on here not long ago about a logo design in which the name and logo gave no clue what the business was about. It’s a trend I’ve noticed for a while. Maybe it started with the web, when a weird catchy name was more important that informing. Just this week I saw a new gun shop called “Finders Keepers” which sounds like a consignment shop. A sign company (that does beautiful hand lettered work) called “Heart & Bones” which sounds like a tattoo shop. And a design/marketing firm doing a local bank rebranding called “Get Evolved” which sounds like some kind of new age fitness center.
Bad enough I can’t read half the billboards and wraps I see, now even if I can read it I won’t know what it is.
 
Gino

Gino

Premium Subscriber
Ya know, I get the same impression from television ads, radio ads and just about everywhere you need to hear what's happenin'. They tend to use this new jive sounding street talk and lingo that makes no sense. Not to mention, I still can't figure out all 58 genders and what they wanna be called anymore. That's real mystery.
 
Stacey K

Stacey K

I like making signs
Maybe it's because it's so easy to make your own logo online? They see cool clipart online and name the business around the artwork instead of the other way around?

People seem to be getting weirder by the day.
 
gnubler

gnubler

Active Member
One of my competitors has a terrible business name...obviously don't want to post it here. I've talked to several people (women) who give me a look and say "I hate saying that" when saying the name. :p
 
2B

2B

Active Member
Name disassociation from the business is nothing new
* Arby's = Fast Food
* HEB = Groceries
* Chevrolet = Vehicle
* Etsy = E-Commerce Crafting
* Nike = Shoes
* 3M = Vinyl

What I am seeing is it so easy now to "start" a business that there is no brand association / identification before the name is seen on a wide scale
Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, IG, Etc... all allow you to get "noticed" without knowing what you are seeing or why you are seeing it

Yes, designs now are focussed on the POP, LOUD, LOTS OF COLORS vs easy to read and direct information (KISS)
 
2B

2B

Active Member
gnubler said:
One of my competitors has a terrible business name...obviously don't want to post it here. I've talked to several people (women) who give me a look and say "I hate saying that" when saying the name. :p
Click to expand...

is this like Lord Voldemort - He who must not be named?
 
S

smullen73

New Member
When I was a Network Engineer for a company in St. Louis we had another Fiber company we did business with, their name was DBN or Digital Broadcast Network (Ehh). They later on renamed themselves Intira, because it reflected what they did better to their customers. Or so they said.

Also, local gas company in St. louis (and many other places) after like a 100 years, decided to change their name and spend millions on the rebranding campaign and now call themselves Spire.
 
Gino

Gino

Premium Subscriber
2B said:
Name disassociation from the business is nothing new
* Arby's = Fast Food their initials
* HEB = Groceries named after the founder
* Chevrolet = Vehicle founders last name
* Etsy = E-Commerce Crafting stands for Oh Yes in italian
* Nike = Shoes the name and logo are greek mythology
* 3M = Vinyl just short for Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company

What I am seeing is it so easy now to "start" a business that there is no brand association / identification before the name is seen on a wide scale
Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, IG, Etc... all allow you to get "noticed" without knowing what you are seeing or why you are seeing it

Yes, designs now are focussed on the POP, LOUD, LOTS OF COLORS vs easy to read and direct information (KISS)
Click to expand...

There usually are some reasons behind them all, just not obvious to the lameman.
 
Gino

Gino

Premium Subscriber
Many years ago, when I was playing in bands at night after working at the sign shop all day, we had a band called 'FUGGET'. Some places wouldn't use our name in the newspaper, they just said...... that new black band.
 
Boudica

Boudica

Back to "educational purposes"
Sometimes a business has to change their name because of copyright infringement. I can think of two local businesses off the top of my head that had to do that. We once had a "Sonic Burrito" they had HUGE Burritos. After about 5 years in business a Sonic Burger moved into town and they forced the little burrito guy to change their name, and all of their branding. They changed it to "Iconic Burrito" which made even less sense, but the way their signage was designed, they didn't have to replace the whole sign - just the "S" to an "Ic"

Edit, I just remembered - it was "Ionic Burrito". They just swapped the S for an I.
 
Last edited:
N

netsol

Active Member
Billct2 said:
There was a thread on here not long ago about a logo design in which the name and logo gave no clue what the business was about. It’s a trend I’ve noticed for a while. Maybe it started with the web, when a weird catchy name was more important that informing. Just this week I saw a new gun shop called “Finders Keepers” which sounds like a consignment shop. A sign company (that does beautiful hand lettered work) called “Heart & Bones” which sounds like a tattoo shop. And a design/marketing firm doing a local bank rebranding called “Get Evolved” which sounds like some kind of new age fitness center.
Bad enough I can’t read half the billboards and wraps I see, now even if I can read it I won’t know what it is.
Click to expand...
yes, and then with the trend towards shortening (one of the banks we used to use was valley national bank. for the benefit of social media, they have rebranded "valley"

there is no reason in the whole world to drop the word bank. for all you know now, they sell lettuce when you see the sign
 
James Burke

James Burke

Being a grandpa is more fun than working
Heh, that's nothing. Let's take ONE main product and see how many retail establishment names we can come up with. It's literally a marketer's dream.

These are all within a 20 mile radius south and west of my shop. And there are probably two dozen different names in the other directions...that I don't know about.

Can you guess ....?

JB


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Boudica

Boudica

Back to "educational purposes"
James Burke said:
Heh, that's nothing. Let's take ONE main product and see how many retail establishment names we can come up with. It's literally a marketer's dream.

These are all within a 20 mile radius south and west of my shop. And there are probably two dozen different names in the other directions...that I don't know about.

Can you guess ....?

JB


Sky Mint
Exclusive
Joyology
Pinnacle Emporium
GTR
The Dude Abides
Live Wire
Lume
Sapura
Nirvana Center
The Tree House
Consume
Dr. A's Re-Leaf Center
Aim High
The Nest
Stoned Goat
3Fifteen
Dispo
Click to expand...
Pot shops. I like the stoned goat, but the dude abides is pretty funny too
 
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