Name Studies

by Joujou

Most copywriters hate doing name studies. I don’t blame them. When you’ve written your 49th option and clients tell you they don’t know what they want and what they do NOT want, the itch to simply walk out of the room is understandable. However, I do think we should never underestimate the power of names to make things happen, I remember the film Boomerang, where Eddie Murphy’s character, an ad creative guy, was given the task of launching a celebrity perfume. The client? A diva singer played by Grace Jones. The brief? The essence of sex. The final name study? Vagina. I’m not sure if the perfume sold well, the movie ended with the launch party. Names mark the beginning or the end of anything. In 80s-Manila, renaming sexy starlets thematically was the rage. There were the soda beauties- Pepsi Paloma, Coca Nicolas. Movies featuring these girls were box-office hits. Then came the alcohol-laden ladies- Brandy Ayala, Vodka Zobel. The trend fizzled out when women named after canned sardines brands were introduced. Imagine watching a movie that stars Hakata Hakone? Names strangely influence the fates of people and places. When your parents name you Porntip, it’s almost impossible to just be Miss ordinary. It’s either you become Miss Universe or maybe a star adult film performer. Along Champs-Elysee is this gay dance club named Le Queen. The masculine article just spelled the difference. In-your-face on the outside, fab atmosphere inside. Also, it is straight-friendly. Maybe too much. Nowadays, it’s more straight than gay. Sigh. On a brighter note, I met my partner in another club named Bed. After dancing, we ended up in bed. Four years later, we are happily sharing a bed. I think the name started it all.