Thursday 26 April 2012

Insurance agency 'Hollow Cost' was a close second.

Imagine, if you will, that you have decided to open some sort of shop for joggers. I don't know why you would want to, perhaps you like serving fit freaks, but just imagine for a second that you have the motivation. Now, what should you call this venture? What name would perfectly convey the nature of your wares and the service your outlet provides?

Hmm, this is tricky. It's definitely something that you would need to spend a long time mulling over - after all, this isn't the sort of decision to make lightly, is it? Whatever you pick has to be memorable, concise, a little bit clever, and definitely not at all like this:

For all your perspiration needs!
Ouch. They really did not think that one through, did they? That seriously has to be the all-time winner of the Worst Branding Ever Award. I mean, associations of labourers working for pennies a day in miserable conditions aside, the name is so vague that they have to clarify what they do with a subtitle. That's how much confidence they have in their company name. You don't see Waterstones and their like captioning their signs with 'we do books'.

This shop's slogan is 'we know running'. Not only does that incredibly undersell their stores, it also gives the impression that the place is a consultancy. Without the logline, it suggests that bags of sweat are for sale. With it, it sounds like they give advice on what stretches are best before marathons. It's a terrible name.

Think I can't come up with a better one? Well, I can. I would have gone for something quirky like Legs on Toast, or, if they just sold shoes, Personal Trainers. You could even go for something sexy like Truth or Lycra - that one would appeal to the buff superhero buffs.

Seriously, go with any of those, and this shop would be every runner's first place.

2 comments:

  1. I think, on this occasion, the name genuinely was 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration!

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    Replies
    1. Very good! They should have taken that up as their slogan.

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