We pulled together some of the most interesting articles we’ve read recently—and included the quotes that got us talking the most.
How 17 famous companies got their quirky names
Source: Business Insider
Naming a company is arguably one of the most important tasks. In conjunction with a killer product, if named well, it could become more than just a brand but actually a category: Kleenex®, BAND-AID®, or Post- It®. Some brands choose to combine words together to define their product offering or others opt for acronyms as a way to represent a longer product offering. And after all of consumer testing, good old luck plays a role here too. The consumer will ultimately be the one to decide if you become the next BAND-AID® of your category.
Live Streaming Breaks Through, and Cable News Has Much to Fear
Source: New York Times
It should come as no surprise that many viewers are dropping cable to stream shows online via platforms like Netflix or Hulu. However, these platforms fall short in their ability to deliver content instantly, which has been the only real reason for many viewers to keep cable (can’t miss the live news and sports!). Well, look out world because social networks are stepping in to fill that void. Sites like Facebook and Twitter allow everyday people to report live news and add their own commentary. Cable news giants like CNN or MSNBC are event using these videos as part of their live broadcast coverage. This shift is not only changing how we get our news but also our perspective on it too. Audiences now see different types of stories that may not have been covered before with personal opinions from those who post it. As we’re all quick to cut our ties to cable providers, it is going to be important to remember to filter both who is breaking the story as the content of the story.
One of the brains behind the campaign to swap all the billboards in a tube station with cats to protest advertising has been hired by an ad agency
Source: Business Insider
We all know everyone loves a good cat meme or online video, but what about a subway or “Tube” (as they call it across the pond) station full of cat ads? Duo Katy Edelsten and Chloe Cordon did exactly that by replacing all of the ads in a London Tube station with ads of cats for two weeks. The idea behind their anti-ad campaign was for viewers to forget that advertising reminds them of what they don’t have or need. They wanted to transform the space into a place where you felt good and “pawsitive.” The ironic twist here is the anti-campaign ended up catching the eye of a large London agency and the pair was hired almost immediately!