Saturday, August 18, 2007

An Unfortunate Product Name

Being a marketing type, I find it interesting when companies commit a faux pas in the marketing of their products or services. One type of such a problem is when a company doesn't listen to how the name they give a product can be a homonym for another phrase. Had I seen the name of my latest example printed or on screen prior to hearing it, I might not have noticed either. However, I was reading and had the television on, and thus heard a commercial for the product, complete with the pronunciation of its name before seeing it on the screen.

The product in question is AciPhex, the trade name for a new heartburn medication. What I heard coming from the TV was an announcer talking about this wonderful new drug called "Ass Effects". I don't think I want to take anything that creates any kind of ass effect! Makes you wonder if the company ever said the name of their product out loud.

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