by Freddy Tran Nager, Founder of Atomic Tango + Guy Who Professionally Names Things…
Previously here on Atomic Tango…
Pizza Hut became “The Hut,” evoking images of Jabba — or worse.
Now word comes that another iconic American brand has likewise simplified:
Radio Shack is now “The Shack,” evoking images of a giant basketball player. Their new tagline, “Our Friends Call Us The Shack,” makes me wonder what their non-friends call them.
Now, understandably, Radio… I mean, The Shack sells a lot more sophisticated electronics and components than radios. Indeed, when was the last time anyone bought a standalone radio?
The problem is that there’s a small chain of beach-themed hamburger joints called “The Shack,” and they might have issue with people wandering in ordering HDMI cables. I smell lawyers warming up their suits.
I’m also now taking bets on which of the following happens next:
- K-Mart becomes “The Mart,” prompting a lawsuit from WalMart, which claims to own everything.
- Burger King becomes “The King,” prompting a lawsuit from one Aragorn of Middle Earth.
- Dairy Queen becomes “The Queen,” and hooks up with Aragorn.
- A huge brawl breaks out among cable executives as they fight for the right to be called “The Channel.” Soon thereafter, a strip of water near England files a lawsuit.
- General Motors becomes “The Motors” and no one cares.
- The Republican Party becomes “The Party” because “Republican” is too hard for Sarah Palin supporters to spell.
- The Democratic Party also becomes “The Party” just to piss off the Republicans. Both sides agree that this is a more interesting issue than fixing health care or ending two concurrent wars.
What do you think? Is there a major case of corporate simplification that begs to be made?
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