Flying Fur: Van Messaging

The van was a couple of lanes over, but I saw the name on the side as they flew by, Flying Fur. Pet grooming, I told myself. Great name! (I like cute.) Sure enough, when I caught up with the van at the Weston tolls, Flying Fur is a mobile pet grooming service. The one in Massachusetts is not unique - there's one in New Jersey, too. (that has some pictures of some really weird looking dogs on its home page - I think they're big-hair poodles. And no comments about Jersey girls.)

But I love the fact that you can tell by their name - and by looking at their van - just what they do.

That's the thing about vans: you can usually get the message and understand right off the bat what product or service they provide.

My historic favorite is "We Clean Blinds", which I used to see on Route 128 every once in a while.

Yep. I know what they do.

Today I noticed The Pie Guy, and a van that said "Pool Covering." Last week in Syracuse, it was Gianelli Sausage (with its mildly obscene dancing pigs in tutus).

Sure, you have life easier if you have a readily understandable product (sausages) or service (pet grooming).

B2B is harder. Tech2Tech is harder.

Our products are complex. Our companies do a lot of things, so we can't have a name like Acme Steel. We need a name like Acstellent Enterprise.

But all marketers - before they lard on the fancy, abstract messaging - should lay out what it is that their products and services do in crystal clear, side-of-the-van language.