If life gives you analytical technology, should you turn it into Analtech?
Analtech—I can only hope it rhymes with “channel deck”—makes thin-layer chromatography plates that are used in laboratories and have been featured on CSI: Las Vegas. Yes, they’ve developed a sense of humor about the name. And yes, they’re thinking about changing it.
Here’s the story:
The company was founded in 1961 as Custom Service Chemicals.
In 1964, the company paid a marketing firm (that shall remain nameless) to come up with a different name. They said, “Well, you guys do Analytical Technology - why don't you put the two words together and call it ‘Analtech’!”
And, here we are, nearly 50 years later - with the same name.
Nearly 50 years later, I bet those marketing guys are still giggling over the fast one they pulled.
On the other hand, maybe “Analtech” is an, um, asset. The company talked with “some experts in the field of marketing, branding, etc.” and heard this “general consensus”:
1. Analtech is a brand name known and trusted by the academic and science communities worldwide
2. Under normal circumstances, such a branding after nearly 50 years would be considered a huge success
3. Analtech faces certain challenges because of the "juvenile" humor that has developed in the past few decades and current web filters that may block the company name.
Sounds like a split decision. What do you say? Take a two-question survey (scroll down for the link) and help Analtech determine its future.
My own vote? I can’t get past this association.
No, it does not look good on paper.
Thanks to reader Gene for the Analtech survey link. And thanks to Twitter pal Dustbury for this fundamental question:
I just can't imagine how that got approved in the first place! Analytech (like "analytic") would have made so much more sense and avoided that unfortunate association.
BTW, the survey link is not working for me, saying I already voted (I'm sure I would have remembered voting on something like that!).
Posted by: Nedra | March 30, 2011 at 10:40 AM
@Nedra: I should have embedded the link before I took the survey! I've changed it; it should work now, although you'll have to scroll to the bottom of the page and click through.
Posted by: Nancy Friedman | March 30, 2011 at 10:46 AM
I'm glad I'm not the only one who immediately thought of Tobias Fünke.
Posted by: Jonathon | March 30, 2011 at 01:36 PM
This made my day!
Posted by: WendyB | March 30, 2011 at 03:22 PM
OMG, this is wonderful!
Posted by: Molly Walker | March 30, 2011 at 08:07 PM
Yep, they're all talking about Funke around the water cooler. Totally my first thought!
Posted by: Jessica | March 31, 2011 at 02:39 PM
A colleague at work just purchased a computer made by a company you wrote about in 2009: Asus. When another colleague heard the name, she asked "is it made by Analtech?"
Here is where we can take a closer look at the Asus: http://nancyfriedman.typepad.com/away_with_words/2009/03/how-asus-got-its-name.html
Posted by: Mark Allen | April 07, 2011 at 02:16 PM