Walking to Centrepoint yesterday, I saw OrchardCentral for the first time. Since my world revolves work and industry related news, I didn't know that there was a new vertical mall being constructed along Orchard Road till then. What appalled me was not the never ending construction that seems to have overtaken Singapore in the past year or so, it was the name. Another Central.

It seems that the No. 1 Street Name/District Name or One Street Name/District Name craze has finally died down, only to be replaced by Central. As it is, cabbies and I are already very confused by the old Central Mall and that new other @Central which are separated by just one Merchant Court Hotel.

So, I rolled my eyes and tsked tsked at the lack of imagination in the decision to name the new mall OrchardCentral; it is so easy to go with the flow, whatever's popular, to portray that sense of "in, hip" in the eyes of management.

But really, it doesn't matter what the mall is called. A name is just words, or a word. It is the brand management (read: marketing) that determines its image, the associated sentiments and values, and ultimately its success or failure.

So, why would any management want to name their product based on a fad? How does it help?

I don't understand.

Labels: hmmm