The 6th Food Group: Crayons
cray·on / [krey-on, -uhn]
–noun
1. a pointed stick or pencil of colored clay, chalk, wax, etc., used for drawing or coloring.
2. a drawing in crayons.
–verb (used with object)
3. to draw or color with a crayon or crayons.
–verb (used without object)
4. to make a drawing with crayons.
When I hear the word crayon, my mind immediately goes to the iconic art supply and the brand I grew up with ... the Crayola crayon and its magnificent box of 64 with a built-in sharpener. I remember holding them with little hands, learning how to use the different shades together, and even melting them for cool grade-school art projects.
So this new beverage line has me puzzled. You want me to 'drink crayons?' I've been taught all my life to keep the markers, paintbrushes and crayons out of mouth, and now there is an imperative to do so?
As a mom, I can appreciate the premise behind the beverage: a drink with no high fructose corn syrup, less sugar and more juice than leading drinks for kids. As a verbal branding associate, I see a great opportunity for a fun, new name that can appeal to kids in its tonality, and to moms in its approach to nutrition.
Using an arbitrary word for a brand can work, if it's executed well. Apple built its brand off ease and the approachability of something as simple as a piece of fruit. Is Crayons trying a similar approach? Capitalizing on our childhood nostalgia and hoping that translates into a mental shift? That now, it's ok to 'drink our crayons?'
As for kids, will this product be confusing in real-life scenarios? "Mom, can I have Crayons with dinner tonight?" Or, "Kate, you can drink these Crayons, but don't eat those in your art supplies." For some reason, I can't reconcile the idea of now consuming or drinking something that has been a part of my life for so long, and used in a very different way. What do you think? Are you ready to 'drink your crayons?'
Paint Scheming
My latest obsession: virtually painting my fingernails on OPI using their vast palette of audacious hues.
Why don plain old red when you could rock Tasmanian Devil Made Me Do It? You could scrap a shade of red altogether and try Who the Shrek are you? Or, you could really splurge with Extravagance. Hard Candy makes seductive shades like Mr. Right, Mr. Wrong, Hypnotic and Frenzy.
On my own personal fascination scale, that activity is followed closely by this game.
Why paint your walls a basic blue when you could coat them with a Fragrant Cloud or take an Aegean Cruise or dip into an Inky Pool? Why brown when Labrador Sands is an option? Or, how about Enigma from Sherwin-Williams? Valspar’s Ancestral Haze?
The verbal branding of these types of products is challenging (seriously, how does one delineate between I Think Pink and Pink-a-Doodle?), but it is clearly a powerful tool. Color naming takes advantage of the subjectivity and emotional responses of customers. These names help to paint a picture (no pun intended, I promise) for the consumer; they are buying not just a can of paint, not just a bottle of nail polish, but an entire experience created from a single shade. These special names make the customer part of a secret, a little wink-wink in an up close and personal world.
Perhaps you would like more than just warmth for your family room; try Buttered Toffee. If you wanted, you could turn your cabin den into a rustic getaway with help from Wild Frontier. Maybe your sunroom could be accented by Pool Party.
Did I recently have Mrs. O’Leary’s BBQ brushed on my toes? Why, yes. Yes, I did. Because for me, summertime isn’t just about the vibrancy and heat, it’s about family gatherings and pulled pork sandwiches. And, I had thought about moonlighting at a nearby diner for the summer, but I’m Not Really a Waitress.
FDA Pharmaceutical Approval: Zuplenz
FDA Approves Strativa Pharmaceuticals' Zuplenz (ondansetron) Oral Soluble Film for the prevention of postoperative, highly and moderately emetogenic cancer chemotherapy-induced, and radiotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting.
"The FDA approval of Zuplenz marks an important milestone for Strativa as it reinforces our commitment to enhancing prescription products to meet the different needs of patients," said John A. MacPhee, President, Strativa Pharmaceuticals. "Zuplenz offers an innovative and convenient, easy-to-take formulation for patients who have trouble swallowing tablets, while providing the trusted efficacy expected from ondansetron."
For more information regarding Pharmaceutical Naming or Brand Development, contact Vince Budd at [email protected]
Nervously Naming our Newborns
Sad, but true. According to the Wall Street Journal, sociologists and name researchers are seeing unprecedented levels of anxiety among parents trying to choose names for their children. While once a reflection of family tradition or cultural values, a child's name has now become a symbol of individual taste. The pressure is on! Knowing the name will become a lasting part of the child's identity, parents are turning to several resources before they commit to a final name for their baby's birth certificate.
Hiring a baby naming consultant or branding consultant has become a recent trend. Some of these "baby naming experts" offer phone consultations and even mathematical formulas. The consultants may analyze the phonetic elements, popularity and ethnic and linguistic origins, and can serve as an objective third party when parents are in disagreement about a name. Some parents even turn to research to find out how society reacts to different names. Albert Mehrabian Ph.D., a professor of psychology at UCLA, found that more common names elicit positive reactions, while unusual names typically result in negative responses. He has a popular article, "Baby Name Report Card: Beneficial and Harmful Baby Names" and is frequently cited in blogs for his knowledge regarding which names will lead to success vs. failure.
For parents that want to do their own exploring, nymbler.com is an interactive website where the user can input their favorite name and the site will generate popularity statistics as well as similar name options they may want to consider. Some parents go straight to the Social Security Administration website, which allows them to browse reliable data and see the most common names for each gender. The Social Security Administration site allows searches for past years as well as particular names.
Will parents every truly find unique names for their babies? Only time will tell!
Contributed by: Ashley Popham
Arizona Boycotters Impact a New York Tea
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AriZona Iced Tea is suffering the consequences of sharing a name with the southwestern state as people upset by Arizona's new irrigation law boycott the state as well as businesses based there. The ironic thing is that AriZona Beverage Company was founded in 1992 in Brooklyn, New York and maintains all operations in this northeastern state. I suppose the founders may now wish they had put a little more strategy behind their name generation instead of merely taking cues from their home decor.
Contributed by Allison Jobes
Bar Call
Belve? Stones? The Shack?
Here’s an interesting article on the benefits and pitfalls of developing and marketing your own brand's bar call.
What's in a Nickname? In Spirits World, an Implied Relationship
What do you think? Should brands develop their own nicknames or leave it to consumers? And, what are some memorable brand nicknames that you like or dislike?
And the American Graphic Design Award goes to ...
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Kudos to our Visual Design Department who recently was recognized for four brands by American Graphic Design and Advertising.
Carnival Cruise Lines: Drainpipe logo
Carnival Cruise Lines: Twister logo
FUJIFILM Medical Systems: Synapse logo
PPG: VIVATI Collection logo
Kristin Everidge, Manager of Visual Branding for Addison Whitney, commented, "It has been an honor to be a part of ADGA’s annual awards for the past 12 years. The 2010 winners represent a synergy between the core competencies of our organization, which include naming and design work for these clients. Because of our iterative and collaborative processes with these clients, we share the credit for these awards with Carnival Cruise Lines, FUJIFILM and PPG."
Zoo Seeking Namers
The Louisville Zoo is seeking a name for the latest addition to its family: a baby boy giraffe. The zoo is taking submissions from now until April 25th, so get noodling on some cute entries for this little guy.
Greek and Roman Eponyms: Cupid’s Modern-Day Naming Trend
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With February upon us, nobody is safe from Cupid’s arrow. Cupid is an important symbol of Valentine’s Day and in Roman mythology, his name stands for the god of love and beauty. Cupid has remained apparent as a representation of love for many people throughout the world, with online dating services and wedding chapels now named after him. An eponym is a name derived from a real person or fictional character. In some cases, the person’s name and the word are exactly the same and the word simply takes on a new meaning. In other cases the person’s name is slightly changed. Many modern-day products and companies have utilized eponyms and are now successfully positioned in the marketplace as highly recognized brands. Several have also incorporated these ideas into their logos.Read more
Candy Brands: Tootsie
All I want is a piece of chocolate candy that won't melt easily in the heat ... lucky for me, and millions of other candy consumers, Leo Hirshfield had the same idea! Hirshfield founded Tootsie Roll Industries in a small shop in New York City. The Tootsie Roll candy got its name after the nickname of his daughter, Clara "Tootsie" Hirshfield.
Originating in 1896, The Tootsie Roll Industries is now based in Chicago, Illinois as one of the country's largest candy companies. Among some of Tootsie's most popular candy names are:Read more