Why do they use goofy names for products?

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RichA - 25 Aug 2006 18:09 GMT

Why not a name telling exactly what the product is?

Super Spectra coatings

In addition to optimised lens shapings to reduce reflections and the
use of anti-reflective material inside the lens barrel, the EF 50mm
f/1.2L USM employs Canon's patented Super Spectra lens element
coatings. These suppress flare and ghosting - more prone to occur
with digital cameras due to reflection off the image sensor. By
increasing light absorption, coatings reduce reflections off lens
element surfaces to deliver crisp, undistorted images with natural
colour balance.

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Siggy - 25 Aug 2006 18:29 GMT

> Why not a name telling exactly what the product is?
>
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
> element surfaces to deliver crisp, undistorted images with natural
> colour balance.

Presumably so they can trademark it?

" Suppress Flare and Ghosting™ "? .. Nah.
" Super Spectra™ "? .. kerrching!

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Mark² - 25 Aug 2006 22:15 GMT

> Why not a name telling exactly what the product is?
>
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
> element surfaces to deliver crisp, undistorted images with natural
> colour balance.

So when you invent a great new anti-acne facial cream (for example), will
you call it, "Really Great Facial Cream For Acne?" -Or will you give it a
snappy name like "ZZZAP!" that teenagers will remember?

Salesmen like to rattle off snappy names to impress
customers...and...marketing guys rely on most newbies not knowing...and not
CARING what these things mean, so long as it leaves them impressed.

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DoN. Nichols - 26 Aug 2006 04:06 GMT

According to Mark² <mjmorgan(lowest even number here)@cox..net>:

> > Why not a name telling exactly what the product is?
> >
> > Super Spectra coatings

[ ... ]

> So when you invent a great new anti-acne facial cream (for example), will
> you call it, "Really Great Facial Cream For Acne?" -Or will you give it a
> snappy name like "ZZZAP!" that teenagers will remember?

I think that "D-Zit" would probably sell more. :-)

> Salesmen like to rattle off snappy names to impress
> customers...and...marketing guys rely on most newbies not knowing...and not
> CARING what these things mean, so long as it leaves them impressed.

    Exactly. And many times the salesmen have no idea what it
means, either.

    Enjoy,
        DoN.

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Mark² - 26 Aug 2006 04:34 GMT

> According to Mark² <mjmorgan(lowest even number here)@cox..net>:
>>> Why not a name telling exactly what the product is?
[quoted text clipped - 16 lines]
> Exactly. And many times the salesmen have no idea what it
> means, either.

That's just one of many reasons I like B&H.
They expect you to alrady know what you want to buy, and they don't shell
out any of that salesman garbage.
I've actually placed serious orders worth thousands of $ with them where I
was literally on the phone with them for LESS than TWO MINUTES. :) That's
my kind of place.

-Mark²

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Doug McDonald - 26 Aug 2006 15:57 GMT

>> Why not a name telling exactly what the product is?
>>
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
>> f/1.2L USM employs Canon's patented Super Spectra lens element
>> coatings.

If you understand how coatings work, you will understand the
name. If I were looking at a large list of trademarks
for lens coatings and needed an unused one, that would be
an obvious one.

Doug McDonald

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Jeff R. - 26 Aug 2006 05:18 GMT

> Why not a name telling exactly what the product is?
>
> Super Spectra coatings
>
> In addition to optimised lens shapings to reduce reflections and the
> use of anti-reflective material inside the lens barrel, <snip>

Oh, I dunno...

Pentax *istDS

It's *obvious* what that means...

--
Jeff R.

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Pete D - 27 Aug 2006 09:00 GMT

>> Why not a name telling exactly what the product is?
>>
[quoted text clipped - 11 lines]
> --
> Jeff R.

To be fair though Pentax has at last seen the light, K100D is easy and means
something, I think.

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