Posts Tagged “LegalZoom.com”

Under New Management.

I was at my local FastSigns this afternoon, and I saw some of their recent work on cars. I’m sure you’ve seen cars that are wrapped from stem to stern with graphics, turning them into one big ad. Interesting idea, but I’m not sure that I would want my corporate identity in the hands of somebody who cuts off potential customers in traffic. Nevertheless, it made me think about naming rights.

Naming rights are nothing new, at least in Theory. Way back in the days of the Crystal Palace and the D’Oyly Carte Opera Company, Messrs. Gilbert and Sullivan created an Operetta, The Gondoliers, in which the Duke of Plaza Toro decided to “go public,” selling shares in his Dukedom, for those members of the Great Unwashed, allowing them to bask in the glow of his royal blood. The only thing the duke did NOT sell was naming rights on his cloak. (I’m sure if there’d been such a thing back then, G&S would have satirized it.) Corporate HQs have always been named after their lead tenant, but many of these buildings have leased space out to other tenants, thus allowing the tenants to glom off some of the lead company’s fame. From there it was only a hop, skip and a jump to places like sports stadiums to sell their very names to the highest bidder. (Ever wonder why USC doesn’t sell naming rights to it’s home field? I’m sure a certain maker of condoms would like the answer to that one.) Read the rest of this entry »