Hypothetical: You See A Business

[Rain Man]

You get a job promotion, but it comes with a transfer, but you're an upwardly mobile person so you take it. You move to your new city, and since you're not ready to settle into a neighborhood yet, you rent a condo.

On your first day, you walk around your new neighborhood, marveling at the different foliage, different bird songs, and the ever so slight differences in Starbucks and Subway stores.

You meander down a street and you see a business off in the distance. It's too far away to see inside the windows, but you can barely make out the name. It is "Antoinette's Insult."

Does that name imply a particular type of business to you, and if so, what type of business?


Please answer before reading the thread, or at least answer based on your honest gut reaction.

[Old Dog]

it's a sex shop and Antoinette is a dominatrix?

[BlackHelicopters]

Inflatables?

[hometeam]

Seems like a curio shop. Would have creepy dolls and knick knacks and antiques.

[ClevelandBronco]

Please answer before reading the thread, or at least answer based on your honest gut reaction.

I get it, but I read the other thread, so who knows?

[Rain Man]

Mmm-hmmm. (Scribbling notes.) Go on.

[DeezNutz]

I believe it would be a pompous bakery, and everyone knows these produce dry baked goods.

[AustinChief]

Cake shop is first thought. Then of course my next thought is of large powdered wigs and the ridiculous dresses with panniers

[trndobrd]

I would know it was not a gun shop, liquor store, or hardware store, and thus not worth a second thought.

If I gave it a second thought, I would assume it is a custom cake shop, with a name based on the historically inaccurate "let them eat cake" quote from Marie Antoinette.

[007]

I would probably make fun of the name for a few seconds and then never think about it again.

[Reaper16]

A bakery, specializing in cakes, is what comes to mind.

Either that, or a shop that sells the dignity that Sofia Coppola doesn't think her film's audiences have.

[|Zach|]

A bakery, specializing in cakes, is what comes to mind.

Either that, or a shop that sells the dignity that Sofia Coppola doesn't think her film's audiences have.

ROFL

[mnchiefsguy]

First thought is either a cake shop (Let them eat cake)...or a hat shop, since Marie lost her head.

[kysirsoze]

Some kind of hipster-esque retro clothing store. Some vintage, some inspired by period garb.

[jspchief]

I see it and assume its likely a cake shop with a very clever name.

Then I'd think that the name is too clever for its own good. "Antoinettes" would be better if you're absolutely married to the concept, but it would be better to have a name that isn't a question in trivial pursuit, not to mention difficult for idiots to pronounce.

[patteeu]

It sounds like a bakery that specializes in cakes and is probably about to go out of business because of it's obscure name. Or it might be some kind of kinky bondage store.

[Hammock Parties]

Lingerie store.

[Psyko Tek]

cake or sex store, maywe both?

[Crush]

A shady pawn shop.

[HonestChieffan]

Tires. Great name for a tire store

[Demonpenz]

anal beads.

[stlchiefs]

High brow, pinky-out shop. Maybe just a pinky-out cake shop.

[cdcox]

I saw the thread last night, but I asked my wife and she got it right off the bat.

[wazu]

I was gonna guess a place where a woman named Antoinette will call you ugly for 5 bucks a pop.

[Dave Lane]

I would think a haberdashery

[TLO]

Mike Mazlowski

[CrazyPhuD]

I'd check it out...sounds like a house of ill repute.

[T-post Tom]

Did Lardass have to pay to get in the contest?

[Exoter175]

Definitely a cake shop

[Ace Gunner]

I'd be looking for rod serling or maybe a woman who looks like rod serling

http://bcperry.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/rod-clock.gif

[cookster50]

Bar

[Amnorix]

Before reading anyone else's posts, I'll say some kind of cake shop or something, because the first Antoinette that comes to mind is Marie Antoinette, and she insulted all of France with the "let them eat cake" thing (not really, because that isn't what she said/meant, but that's history, and nobody lets history get in the way of a good story).

So yeah, cake. But even if I'm right I'll say that that name is not one I would ever pick.

[Amnorix]

I see it and assume its likely a cake shop with a very clever name.

Then I'd think that the name is too clever for its own good. "Antoinettes" would be better if you're absolutely married to the concept, but it would be better to have a name that isn't a question in trivial pursuit, not to mention difficult for idiots to pronounce.


This.

[Iowanian]

It's the name of a cake shop.....a cake shop that doesn't realize 2/3 of the potential customers are qualified for Jay-walking episodes and won't get it.

It's clever but I think they out kicked their coverage.

[Rain Man]

Interesting input, everyone.

Now, the next thing I think about is how important a first-time identification is for a business that relies largely on repeat business. There might be a little initial confusion, but most people would then say, "Oh, it's a bakery", and then it doesn't matter any more. Also, you could have something like "Bakery and Confiserie" as a subtitle.

What would matter is the catchiness of the name, and I think "Antoinette's Insult" (or just Antoinette's, which I think is a really good suggestion and would be what it gets shortened to anyway) would be catchy and unique. Five years from now, if you tell someone, "Meet me at Antoinette's", they'll always know what you're talking about.

I think Fire Me Boy's girl should go with Antoinette's or Antoinette's Insult as the name of the bakery.

[patteeu]

You need to do some radio advertising where the voice actor keeps repeating the "Let them eat cake" line.

[Fire Me Boy!]

You need to do some radio advertising where the voice actor keeps repeating the "Let them eat cake" line.

You mean like this?

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/f_SwD7RveNE" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

[Fire Me Boy!]

Interesting input, everyone.

Now, the next thing I think about is how important a first-time identification is for a business that relies largely on repeat business. There might be a little initial confusion, but most people would then say, "Oh, it's a bakery", and then it doesn't matter any more. Also, you could have something like "Bakery and Confiserie" as a subtitle.

What would matter is the catchiness of the name, and I think "Antoinette's Insult" (or just Antoinette's, which I think is a really good suggestion and would be what it gets shortened to anyway) would be catchy and unique. Five years from now, if you tell someone, "Meet me at Antoinette's", they'll always know what you're talking about.

I think Fire Me Boy's girl should go with Antoinette's or Antoinette's Insult as the name of the bakery.

We've been discussing that, too.

[Iowanian]

It works better if the logo looks like a cake or a cupcake.

[patteeu]

You mean like this?

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/f_SwD7RveNE" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Maybe not quite that much, but yeah. Haha.

[Fire Me Boy!]

It's worth noting there's a small handful of Antoinette's Bakeries (or similarly named) already...

[kepp]

They sell guillotines

[Iowanian]

It's Shake and Cake...and I helped!

[Fat Elvis]

I think it is an incredibly bad name. It is funny on a forum like this, but it would be a disaster in real life. Do you really want to associate a food product with killing people?

[Reaper16]

I think it is an incredibly bad name. It is funny on a forum like this, but it would be a disaster in real life. Do you really want to associate a food product with killing people?

Young people love irony. This would work in a city.

[Fat Elvis]

Young people love irony. This would work in a city.

They may love irony, but that doesn't get them to spend money. They would think they were being ironic by thinking they have money and not spending it on cake thereby identifying with the proletariat. Hey, I know, lets be ironic and starve Antionette to death....

[Reaper16]

They may love irony, but that doesn't get them to spend money. They would think they were being ironic by thinking they have money and not spending it on cake thereby identifying with the proletariat. Hey, I know, lets be ironic and starve Antionette to death....

They aren't that smart.

[Fat Elvis]

They aren't that smart.

Then they won't get Antionette's Insult in the first place.

[Iowanian]

LikeFatKidsLove Cakes

[Oxford]

I see it and assume its likely a cake shop with a very clever name.

Then I'd think that the name is too clever for its own good. "Antoinettes" would be better if you're absolutely married to the concept, but it would be better to have a name that isn't a question in trivial pursuit, not to mention difficult for idiots to pronounce.

You could have a special cake named that way, but I agree the name may be too clever.

[Rain Man]

Then they won't get Antionette's Insult in the first place.

But it sounds ironic, and if they think they're smart they'll like the irony even if they don't know what the irony is about.

Also, a good name generates buzz, I might add. And it seems like this is doing it.

I'm envisioning a logo that is a cake, but it's a cake that looks like a woman in 18th-century royal regalia.

[mikey23545]

Then they won't get Antionette's Insult in the first place.

My God, what a pretentious, overly serious, liberal egomaniac you are...LMAO

[Fat Elvis]

My God, what a pretentious, overly serious, liberal egomaniac you are...LMAO

I thought "Man Batter" was a funny name....

[kysirsoze]

Antoinette's could work. To me, Antoinette's Insult sounds like the owner thought they were really clever. Doesn't have much ring to it, though. Not trying to insult anyone's wife or anything. Just an honest reaction.

[patteeu]

I thought "Man Batter" was a funny name....

My God, your lack of seriousness is disgusting, you unpretentious, self-deprecating liberal. LMAO

[Rain Man]

Antoinette's could work. To me, Antoinette's Insult sounds like the owner thought they were really clever. Doesn't have much ring to it, though. Not trying to insult anyone's wife or anything. Just an honest reaction.

Now that I think about it, Antoinette's Retort actually kind of has a pastry in the name. How cool is that?

[Fire Me Boy!]

Now that I think about it, Antoinette's Retort actually kind of has a pastry in the name. How cool is that?

Oh, I like that better.

[patteeu]

Now that I think about it, Antoinette's Retort actually kind of has a pastry in the name. How cool is that?

Much better! A bakery consignment store!

[kysirsoze]

Now that I think about it, Antoinette's Retort actually kind of has a pastry in the name. How cool is that?

Yes. Much better.

[WhiteWhale]

They sell cake?

[SPATCH]

I was friends with this kid from Japan in high school and his family owned a bakery called "Yummy Yummy Bakery" in Japan. I always thought that was adorable.

[Shaid]

lol, first thought would be some strip joint but 1 second of actual thought would make me say a cake shop.

[stevieray]

I figured it was like those mounted singing fish? wife could record something for when you walk by...."take out the garbage slobovia!"

[BWillie]

Your a strange cat Rain man. Poll #1.2 million. Always so random, but I like It.