Wednesday, July 25, 2007
What's in a name?
'Climb up the Coconut way' read the recruitment ad. Alongside is a pic depicting man in suit climbing up a ladder hanging in the clouds.
You see Coconut Softwares Pvt Ltd is 'the fastest growing software products and services company', engaged in end to end implementation of ERP, SCM, CRM, SRM etc etc. I have no doubt they are doing v well because a chota mota company would not be putting a quarter page colour ad in Times of India Ascent.
However I couldn't help wonder: is the name 'Coconut' a liablity? The founders may have been inspired by foreign companies adopting tree-nams as company names. But 'Juniper' and 'Sycamore' are not your everyday trees. In fact most people probably aren't even aware of the tree connection.
Coconut on the other hand is well, coconut. I know they may have been inspired by 'Apple' but when you say 'Climb up the coconut way' the image that comes to mind is a wiry dhoti clad fella limbering up the tree trunk... to bring down a nariyal.
Now you can well imagine the folalowing conversation:
Aunty: Bete aap kahan kaam kr rahe hain?
Beta: Aunty, mein Coconut mein kaam kar raha hoon.
Aunty: HAIIN??!!
OK, slight exaggeration but I am sure every Coconut employee has had to explain what his company actually does to convince said auntyjis he/ she is in a respectable job. Which us an important motivator for people joining and sticking with the software industry in India.
A more 'IT' type name like 'Cocosys' or 'Cocosoft' would have made life easier!
P.S. Are coconuts served in the Coconut canteen, along with tea and coffee? Just wondering!
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