EchoStar Communications Corporation announced yesterday a promotion through which a town's residents will receive free satellite televison service for 10 years for permanently renaming itself "Dish." This initiative is a logical extension of marketing efforts that have included renaming sports stadiums and buying advertising space on individuals' foreheads.
Despite the free publicity that EchoStar is already receiving for this advertising stunt, it reflects a lack of imagination on the part of its marketing staff. Instead of allowing chance to determine which town will come forward to accept this offer, the cities in states that permit memorable combinations should be specifically targeted. For example, Dish, Washington would be far more effective than, say, Dish, Idaho.
By the same token, other cities should identify companies that would want to strike lucrative deals for equally evocative name results. I offer the following possibilities:
1. Betty Crocker — Baked, Alaska
2. Deja Blue bottle water — Blue, Hawaii
3. Starbucks Coffee — Starbucks, Mississippi
4. Crayola crayons — Crayola, Colorado
5. Wilson Sporting Goods — Wilson, Tennessee
6. Steven Hoefflin, Plastic Surgeon — Hoefflin, Kentucky
Article comments
1 - John Bill
You would have to be a small town for this to work. It is an interesting idea for renaming all sorts of things, i.e. schools,highways, rivers,etc