May 14, 2012
Apple's Decision to Change iPad Product Naming Across the World Isn't "Ridiculous"
It appears Apple has caved to Australian advertising watchdogs who have been pressuring the company to change its iPad product naming from "iPad Wi-Fi + 4G" to "iPad Wi-Fi + Cellular."
The problem?
The carriers in Australia aren't capable of a 4G quality network for the new iPad. The new iPad with 4G LTE only seems to properly function in the U.S. and Canada on a total of five carriers.
The new naming isn't for Australia alone, but also for the U.S., Canada, UAE, Vietnam, Thailand, Singapore, New Zealand, Malaysia, Ireland and Hong Kong. The iPad 2 will stay with the name iPad 2 WiFi + 3G.
Apple recently posted this message on the Australian online store:
This product supports very fast cellular networks. It is not compatible with current Australian 4G LTE networks and WiMAX networks. For service from a wireless carrier, sign up for a simple, month-by-month plan on your iPad and cancel anytime without penalty.
And "for the sake of absolute clarity" Apple is placing notices at points of sale in their retail stores as well.
The reaction across the blogosphere has been mixed, but I was interested to see that iTWire was willing to say, "Apple has certainly had some boneheads to deal with in its time, but none more so that those who were unable to read the 4G iPad marketing materials, and those in government power deciding they could 'do something about it.'"
iTWire goes on to say that the threatened lawsuit against Apple is "ridiculous."
I think Apple probably figured that if they went to court in Australia, they would lose.
It doesn't seem reasonable to suggest to people they buy a certain product with a certain service that they will not even be able to use. Apple's willingness to change the name in the U.S. is indicative of that - because only a couple carriers here support 4G.
The name change represents a move towards accuracy in marketing. And that is not something I would call "ridiculous."
Technorati Tags: Apple, iPad, Product Naming, iPad Naming, Branding, Electronics Product Naming, Electronics Brand Name
Posted by William Lozito at 8:05 AM
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May 10, 2012
Man's Name Change to Tyrannosaurus Rex Brings Up Interesting Naming Dilemma
The news that a Nebraska entrepreneur has legally changed his name to Tyrannosaurus Rex all in the service of increasing his name recognition is worth a laugh.
Yes, you read that correctly, Tyler Gold thought his name didn't have quite the resonance as that of the famous carnivorous dinosaur. With the approval of a judge, he changed his name to Tyrannosaurus Rex Jospeh Gold.
He had to assure everyone he wasn't changing his name to avoid creditors or the police. He simply wanted potential clients to remember his name.
As one blogger points out, "Whether prospective clients will see him as a valuable business partner - rather than a complete fool - remains to be seen."
He will refer to himself as "T-Rex" because he says it's "cooler" and "more recognizable" than just Tyler.
Now, while this may not be a smart move it is actually a sad example of the poor guy's desire for name recognition being eclipsed by his need to build meaning into his personal brand.
The world is actually full of ridiculous brand names that drew howls of derision across the blogosphere when they were introduced. Here I am thinking of Wii and iPad. Both names are eye catching and even a little ridiculous, yet the names are now ubiquitous.
The difference is that both the Wii and iPad names lend meaning to their products. "We" are brought together to play the Wii video game system, while the iPad name is descriptive of the tablet and follows Apple's naming convention.
But what if he was an exceptionally aggressive lawyer? Or a professional wrestler? The name change would still be ridiculous, but fraught with meaning. Nobody states what our friend in Nebraska actually does, so while people will remember his new name, it may evoke the wrong impression.
Think about the real law firm called "Payne & Fears." Surely they would have room on their staff for a guy named T-Rex?
I don't know about you, but that sounds like a great name for a divorce lawyer.
Technorati Tags: Branding, Naming, T-Rex, Nebraska, Payne & Fears
Posted by William Lozito at 8:43 AM
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May 8, 2012
Will New iPhone Go the Way of iPad Product Naming?
The chatter on the blogosphere is heating up about what the new iPhone will be called, not least since the "New iPad" was such a shocker.
Will it be "The iPhone" or "The Next iPhone" or how about the "iPhone 5"? There are a few good reasons why we might see an iPhone 5, because Apple has filed a claim with the World Intellectual Property Office for iPhone5.com.
Says Ross Newman of Business 2 Community:
Interestingly, Apple didn't get full control of the domain iPhone4.com until nearly a year after that device launched. And guess what happened with iPhone4S.com? Apple gained full control two weeks after the release of the iPhone 4S because that domain was forwarding visitors to pornography sites! Talk about a wrong turn.
iPhone 5 is an easier name than whatever might follow iPhone 4S, and the new iPhone will be revamped enough - thinner with a taller display - to warrant a new name, he adds.
Even business analysts are looking at this preemptive move for the domain name as proof that the iPhone 5 name is coming out.
Still, this just might be Apple trying to take control of the phone's name in the "virtual world" as well as gain SEO ranking. Apple does not want that iPhone5.com site to come up when people search for the new phone... unless they own it.
The new iPhone 5 launch will be huge, no matter what, but it is just too early to say if the company is going to drop the nomenclature for the iPhone brand name the way they have with the iPad.
Given the obsession Apple has with brand congruence, I would not be surprised if we did see the introduction of a device called The New iPhone.
Apple is just too secretive about its brand naming to let the cat out of the bag by grabbing this site long in advance.
But maybe not.
Technorati Tags: Branding, Naming, iPhone 5, The New iPhone, Apple
Posted by William Lozito at 8:29 AM
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May 4, 2012
Kraft Drops the Fig From Fig Newtons Product Naming
As many of you know, Kraft is splitting into two companies. The Nabisco brand will be a part of Mondelez International, a global snack business.
At the same time, the Fig Newtons product name will become just Newtons.
From the product's inception 1891 until 1914 the brand was called Newtons, named after the town of Newton, Massachusetts
This is another example of a product going back to the future while continuing to offer strawberry and raspberry and who knows, possibly trendy varieties like goji berries to antioxidant-filled pomegranates.
This is a wise attempt to make the Fig Newtons product more relevant to today's consumer.
The new Newtons ads are aimed at boomers with the munchies and not just kids - and offer us "Newtonisms" such as "Never beat around the bush -- you'll just squash the berries."
This reminds me of the Johnsonville Sausage campaign where they have Grillville, Summerville, Vacationville, etc.
Will consumers give a 'fig?' Long-term, probably not. Short-term, expect some Twitter grousing, followed by acceptance.
Technorati Tags: Newtons, Fig Newtons, Nabisco, Mondelez, Product Naming, Newtons Product Naming
Posted by William Lozito at 9:02 AM
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May 3, 2012
South Africa Needs to Protect Rooibos Product Naming
CNN is reporting that South Africa's rooibos tea is a hit worldwide.
Grown only in the Western Cape of South Africa, this "red bush" (rooibos is the Afrikaans word for "red bush") tea has turned into a $23 billion industry, not least because the sweet red tea tastes good and has more anti-oxidants than green tea.
It also helps with colic, allergies, asthma and acne.
The growing area for the tea is tiny, centered in the mountainous Cederberg region just north of Cape Town.
Since the trade has quickly become so lucrative, producers in the small region are trying to protect the "rooibos" name.
Many feel the rooibos tea should be given a geographical indication status, similar to what the French government set in place for the word "champagne" - Champagne can only be used on wine from the Champagne region of France.
A producer of the tea, Willem Engelbrecht was quoted saying "I think it is the responsibility of government to make sure that legislation come in place, because we need to protect our cultural assets."
Indeed. The rooibos product name and heritage should be protected, and a regional indication status would most likely be the best way to do it.
Technorati Tags: Rooibos, Rooibos Tea, South Africa Tea, Tea Product Naming, Product Naming
Posted by William Lozito at 8:11 AM
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