Name Critic rates cisco

Before a number of network naming projects, I would ask the techies “So you mean you want a name like Cisco or Cypress or Redwood or Sierra?” But what are they really telling me? They like the names of trees and nature and a company name close to famous oil cooking brand Crisco? Or they simply like the names of big successful companies? Do you really think they would pick an abstract name like Cisco if they had not heard of it and did not know what it stood for?

Not very likely unless they were really far-sighted, open-minded branding professionals.After all, Cisco is the back end of San Francisco, even though the company was founded on Stanford Campus 40 miles away. Maybe now you know why they write it with a small “c” (Yuk this causes massive problems but then their agency designer doesn’t have to deal with them).

And why the logo is half a golden gate bridge (cut lengthways).If this newer logo looks more like a pulse or wave pattern on an oscilloscope, try the older logo here. Somehow neither of these logos capture the grandeur, color and spectacular setting of the real Golden Gate bridge, though I have seen some bit metallic logo signs outside some of their buildings do a much better job of it.

Sometimes when I give talks about naming and trademarks, I ask the group how to spell Cisco, before I write it on the board. A consumer audience might say Sysco® (a very big food distribution company). The techies of course say Cisco®, and a few IT professionals might say Sisco®. Interestingly enough, all of these are equivalent trademarks as they are the same phonetically. The only reason they can all exist as registered trademarks is that they are in different international classes for different goods and services.Next time you say you would never use an abstract unusual name for your company, think about how you feel about the name of this networking giant.

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