What's in a Name? The Renaming of the Willis Tower

[quantumdude]

"The Willis Tower"

That's what the Sears Tower in Chicago is going to be renamed in the very near future.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-biz-sears-tower-name-change-willis-march12,0,7014962.story

"We are actually not having to pay anything for renaming the building."

They're not paying anything?? I've got a sawbuck that says it's the Tom Mattson Tower! I will NEVER call it the Willis Tower!

 

[mgb_phys]

Come this summer, Willis' name will be on a tower taller than Aon Center.

Nice to know in these uncertain times the priorities of financial institutions remain unchanged.

"We're especially well known in the U.K., but we're relatively unknown in North America. We really feel this will make us a household name in the U.S."

For very small values of well known - I've never heard of them

But what of any potential backlash, or the inability of Chicagoans to call the building anything but Sears Tower? "Old habits die hard but we feel that ultimately people will come to embrace the Willis name," Thoretz said.

No - people will simply completely ignore the new name.
Swiss Re spent a $Bn on their fancy new office block - the tallest building in London.
Nobody calls it the Swiss Re building, only the postman calls it 30 St Mary axe - everybody calls it the Gherkin.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

I would like to see something a bit more engaging, like The Tower of Power. Or maybe, The Greater Chicago Phallick Symbol.

 

[quantumdude]

The Tower of Power.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/eQE5vwlRYHA&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/eQE5vwlRYHA&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>

 

[Ivan Seeking]

I remember them.

 

[Vanadium 50]

I remember them.

Yeah, but it was so long ago that "What is Hip?" is now "Hip Replacement".

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Yeah, but it was so long ago that "What is Hip?" is now "Hip Replacement".

Not to get too far off-topic, but it was very depressing to see that a Beach Boys tune is used to sell Hoverrounds. I remember when the Beach Boys were cool, young dudes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sC8x4UdSi50

 

[quantumdude]

Come this summer, Willis' name will be on a tower taller than Aon Center.

Nice to know in these uncertain times the priorities of financial institutions remain unchanged.

It's funny that you mention that because that's another renaming that I won't accept. That building is, was, and always will be the Standard Oil building in my mind. Not that I have any particular affection for Standard Oil, but it made for a cool nickname: "Big Stan". :D

 

[misgfool]

Nice to know in these uncertain times the priorities of financial institutions remain unchanged.

Any financial institution has to be trusted to survive. Having a physical landmark named after the institution is a clear statement of power.

 

[mgb_phys]

Any financial institution has to be trusted to survive. Having a physical landmark named after the institution is a clear statement of power.

It was more the statement that it is higher than it's competitors building.
Like 5year old going 'ner-ner' to their friends.