Destination: The OC¹
Do Southern Californians just have no storage space whatsoever? That is the conclusion one could reach while driving along the 405 around Irvine. Storage facilities abound. Okay, fine – who doesn’t need more storage? (The #1 reason we bought our house: Storage. Two linen closets. A cedar closet. Built-in bookcases in every bedroom. Two basement storage rooms. All right, I’ll stop, some of you are envious, I’m sure.)
But why do storage facilities adopt the world’s most boring and descriptive names? Public Storage. Extra Space Storage. Let’s Stor It Self Storage (I know they thought they were being so clever with that wacky "stor" spelling . . . ) The closest we found to marginally distinctive was the Mini Storage Space Bank, although all I could think of was whether "space bank" was where Mr. Spacely kept his money.A little creativity couldn’t hurt, could it? Couldn’t you call it XYZ Self Storage, where XYZ is a coined term, an arbitrary word, or even (gasp!) a suggestive term? Planet Self Storage? Ballroom Self Storage? Hangar Self Storage? Cenote Self Storage?²
Apart from that, it was a good trip, and a lovely Bat Mitzvah that brought us there (Marisa, you rock!) We got to drive through and around Hollywood; among the notable landmarks was Flynt Publications – thanks for all you do for the First Amendment, Larry.
Finally, just for the record, In-N-Out Burger is everything it’s cracked up to be, with a name that can’t be beat.
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¹ Don’t call it that, I know.
² These names are purely for illustration and my own amusement. I cannot guarantee their registrability or availability.
Here is an interesting one: PODS
Before visiting the website www.pods.com I thought it was a pretty arbitrary, fun, sci-fi name a la Invasion Of The Body Snatchers.
But I was surprised to learn PODS is an acronym for the otherwise generic Portable On Demand Storage.
Check out this competitor's site www.georgiagominis.com unabashedly and generically referencing Portable On Demand Storage.
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I had the same reaction you did to PODS -- I thought "how clever" until I saw the explanation of the acronym. The Go Minis' (hey, a non-descriptive name!) use of Portable On Demand Storage is very interesting. I have to say, I would side with them and not PODS. You pick a generic name, you assume the risk, in my book.
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At In-N-Out (agree: perfect name), did you notice the New Testament quote on every paper cup (John 3:16)? Forever 21, the clothing chain, also puts an NT quote (possibly the same one) on its shopping bags. Forever 21 is owned by devout Korean-American Christians. Don't know about In-N-Out.
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Oy. No, I didn't notice. It was late at night. Alaska Airlines used to hand out a card with a Bible quote on it with meal service; I don't know about Forever 21. While it is certainly one way to distinguish your brand, there's no way to prevent against copying, right? And certainly no possible claim of likelihood of confusion were another burger chain, for example, to adopt the same practice. My brain is now spinning with questions of religious branding, statements of religious affiliation on packaging and corporate identities, and comparisons to kashrut certification. On which latter topic perhaps more at a later date, as I've always been proud of the Seattle Va'ad's kashrut symbol.
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Well, blow me down. I had NO IDEA a kashrut symbol could be Seattle-ized. Very clever. Your link sent me down some interesting rabbit-holes, including Kashrus Magazine online. Most kashrut symbols are unbelievably crude and ugly, but the Auckland (NZ) "kosher kiwi" symbol--a stylized emu and the letter K--is too cute for words.
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Okay, I thought Seattle won the hechsher award until I saw that Kiwi-K. It's too cute for words. Among the numerous rabbit-holes this all sends me down is how I once argued to a colleague that the client's product line was valuable not just because of its long-used and registered trademarks, but also because the products bore the coveted O-U. He wasn't impressed. Oh well. Blogging: My excuse for filling my head with new trivia and recalling old trivia.
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I hope you had your In-N-Out 'animal style' with well-done fries; if not, you have to go back!
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Well, my allegedly SoCal native husband has some 'splaining to do now, doesn't he? Never heard of this breed of order. I guess we will have to go back.
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