Some of what I’ve been reading this month:
“Sure, slogans should be as short as possible,” writes veteran marketing man Al Ries, “but there's a trade-off. Slogans should be long enough to contain some words that knock on the right side of the consumer's brain. The emotional side of the brain as opposed to the left side, the logical, analytical side.” Read more at AdAge.
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An A-to-Z of naming schemes, with lists for Aztec gods (I can’t wait to name something Chiconahuiehecatl), bunnies, curries, and much more. The authors write: “The purpose of these naming schemes is to name network computers, but it [sic] can also be used to name projects, variables, streets, pets, kids, or any other project where unique names and rememberable [sic] names are required.” Via Anthony Shore.
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How six tech companies got their names. I knew about most of them (in fact, I’ve written about Asus myself), but the Go Daddy and Fark stories were new to me. (Via On the Button.)
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In honor of New York Fashion Week—pardonnez-moi, Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week—Charles McGrath gives us his version of fashion week phone sex. Cracked me up. (Via Maud Newton.)
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One more for Fashion Week, from the perennially fabulous Nancy Nall: “The Dresses Speak,” in which NN reveals the only adjectives a fashion writer needs to know.
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I’d rather be keelhauled than ever spend a single minute at Burning Man, the annual desert spectacle that combines many of my least-favorite things, e.g., 130-degree heat + no running water + public nudity + experimental art + nonstop music + “recreational” drugs + wacky costumes + forced socializing. But I did enjoy this Burning Man glossary, which provides a glimpse into a subculture that many people (my next-door neighbor, for one) seem to relish. Two definitions may help you understand why I choose to avoid the playa: “Fire jumping: A technique of jumping over a burning fire, sometimes with negative results when two opposing jumpers collide in mid-air,” and “Nose Tators: Playa dust nostril plugs that form during the event.” As film mogul Samuel Goldwyn reportedly said, “Include me out.” (Via Fashion for Nerds, who is a Burning Man fan and participant. But hey, I don’t judge.)
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