Every so often you see a new name that makes you smack your forehead and say “Why didn’t I think of that?” I had such a moment when an ad for Verizon’s “The Uppernet” showed on my TV.
Here’s my take on this name, good and otherwise:
The Good:
1. It’s “sticky”. You hear it once and it’s instantly in your memory.
2. It’s related to the services it’s represents. On the Verizon page headed “Welcome to the Uppernet”, there is the following description: “…the enterprise-class platform that features comprehensive security, hybrid capability and drag-and-drop interoperability…flexible, high-performance, on-demand cloud computing services that scale to your specific business needs.” Sounds like the Uppernet to me.
3. It’s aggressive. Once you’ve claimed “The Uppernet”, what is your competition going to call their services? The Lowernet? The Mediocrenet?
The Risky:
1. It’s not organically connected to the company name. Verizon will need to repeat their commercials ad nauseam to get people to automatically think of Verizon when they hear “Uppernet”. And, bizarrely, there’s no guarantee that this will work for everyone: years into the Energizer campaign, you could still find people who thought the rabbit was shilling for Duracell.
Hall of Fame Pitcher and Occasional Marketing Genius
2. It’s very, very broad. At least so far, Verizon seems to be using “The Uppernet” more as a two-word slogan than as a coherent description of a product line. If you follow the instructions “Learn More about the Uppernet” by hitting the adjacent “Click Here” button, you go to a page where “The Uppernet” doesn’t even appear!
3. It’s aggressive. This name is like calling yourself “The Fastest Gun In The West.” You will be subject to constant scrutiny and challenges. Americans are generally OK with self-aggrandizement, as long as it’s based in reality. Verizon needs to understand that it will henceforth be held to a standard set forth by the inimitable Dizzy Dean: “It ain’t bragging if you can do it.”
–Greg Marus
But the bunny WAS shilling for Duracell! Just without the shades: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duracell_Bunny
Our thanks to Brandon, for pointing out this hitherto-unknown (to me) bit of history!
As the Wikipedia entry indicates, the Duracell Bunny was easy to miss for those of us in North America, due to the trademark dispute.
Just a touch of irony: I was recently filling in readers on one of our sister blogs about events in the U.S., roughly contemporaneous with the Duracell Bunny. Check out “…Not Only Queerer Than We Suppose, But Queerer Than We Can Suppose” at http://www.brighterproducts.com/?p=344.
–Greg Marus