The Cingular brand name is being discontinued as of next year, so now they are finally free to have a bit of fun:
It’s akin to how Scott McClellan felt right after his resignation was accepted, or that giddy day the divorce papers are finally signed.
What does this ad have to do with union labor? Eh, blame it on the champagne.
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If you currently bank at NBIC, this is a reminder to begin using your new checks this coming Monday! From Stabroek News:
The National Bank of Industry and Commerce Limited has notified its customers that the change of name to Republic Bank (Guyana) Limited will take effect on June 5, 2006.
In a circular letter the bank said it will begin the physical process, which involves changing the signs inside and outside of its branches, as well as the names of its products…
…For instance, the Advanced Savings account will become a Major League account, the Access 24 Automatic Banking Machines (ABMs) conveniently located throughout the country will become Republic Blue Machines and the Access 24 cards will eventually be changed to Republic One Cards.
Why the name change? Quite possibly to cash in on the investment savvy cachet the word “Guyana” brings to the table. The CEO of Republic Bank Guyana explains:
As a former Senate President, l find it very difficult to invest such amount of money in my country due to my position in the Government such amount of money may attracts some suspicion which may lead to my arrest, that is why I need your urgent assistance, Please indicate your interest in the area of a lucrative business viability in your country.
For working with me to actualize this transaction, I will give to you 30% of the total fund while 10% will be used to settle every monetary expenses on the course of this transaction and the remaining 60% will be for me.
The proposal should be kept strictly confidential due to my person in the Government as the Former senate President of Guyana.
Please indicate your interest by providing me with your private direct phone line / fax number. And I assure you that all we be well at the end of this transaction.
Thanks and God bless you.
Senator Anyim Pius Anyim
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The march of the penguins continues as yet another monochromatically positioned, branded and named “iPod killer” enters the waters. From CNET’s Crave:
Let’s go back to school. LG, take a seat and listen. First off, you’ve called this MP3 player the MFJM53. Who in their right mind will recall that name? You can imagine the scenario. A kid, who for the purposes of this demonstration we will call Timmy, walks into Dixons. Timmy is well excited. Timmy is going to buy himself an MP3 player. He’s seen the LG MFJM53 online and this is the player he wants. Now we join Timmy in the shop:
“Hello, I would like the LG MFX9… er, LG MFJE… er, the LG MFJ8… argghhh! Give me an iPod.”
Timmy is plainly too distressed to recall LG’s ambiguous product naming conventions. The iPod has won, and we haven’t even got to the specs yet. The marketing strategy of these iPod rivals is staggering. It’s as if they don’t even want to play the game.
It’s that they don’t know how to play the game. Given the lessons of both iPod and Razr, you’d think handheld electronics manufacturers would understand the power of a name that works in concert with the form, function and positioning of a product. Their continued use of alphanumerics in lieu of brand names demonstrates otherwise.
The only alpha that’s not a dog is Motorola’s Q.
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