OK, this has nothing to do with naming, writing, or branding. But it does have to do with language, and besides I just can't resist sharing it.
Turns out there's a Finnish word, valituskuoro--literally, "complaints choir"--that describes a situation in which a lot of people are complaining simultaneously. One winter day a couple of artists in Helsinki decided to turn the expression into an actual Complaints Choir with lyrics and music. One thing led to another, and to date some 15 or 16 similar choirs have organized around the world, from Juneau to Jerusalem.
What do Complaints Choirs complain about? The fundamental things, mostly: deadlines, dead-end jobs, high prices, weak beer. And there are some idiosyncratic kvetches: For example, a large and spirited Budapest choir complains, to an infectious beat, that "my clothes look better on others."
You can read about Complaints Choirs, including how to organize your own, on this web site. And if you're in Chicago today (Sunday), watch for several surprise performances around the city, and one non-surprise performance at about 4:15 p.m. at the Cloud Gate in Millennium Park.
Watch a worldwide Complaints Choir compilation video.
Hat tip to Rob Walker of Murketing.
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