So my coworker and I were talking the other day, and the topic of nicknames for mega-corporations came up. You know, the kinds of nicknames that ticked-off employees or devotees will come up with. For example, I've heard "Whole Foods" is often called "Whole Paycheck," 'cause that's what you pay to get all that gorgeous, ecologically-correct food. (I've only been in there a few times, and I'm always overwhelmed by the culinary seduction that pervades the joint.) Some other examples:
-- Nike => "Nike-stag" (rhymes with Reichstag), to describe the corporate headquarters
-- Disney's animation division => "Mauschwitz", courtesy of the laid-off animators during the 1990s. (No offense intended to those related to concentration camp survivors and inmates.)
-- Boeing => "Boring." (I didn't say they were all scintillating.)
There must be one for Microsoft, but I don't know it. The closest I've heard are the nicknames for the employees, who've been called "Microsofties" on a good day, and "Microserfs" when the subject of outsourcing comes up.
Do you work for a corporate behemoth, or live in a company town, with a great nickname? Let me know. I could send you some blog candy...
UPDATE: Found some on Wikipedia... there were a lot, but I'm only listing the ones I liked and didn't know before.
-- Bed Bath and Beyond=> Bloodbath and Beyond (now that's what I'm talkin' 'bout!)
-- Starbucks=> Four-bucks, Bucks, Starby's
-- Kodak=> Great Yellow Father
-- Home Depot=> Home Despot (knew this one, but I like it so much)
-- McDonald's (the hatred here is impressive)=>Mickey D's, but also Maccy D, The Golden Nightmare, McDeath, Rotten Ronnie's, McDogchow, McDick's, McConvicts, double-yuck, American Embassy, MacDo (mainly in France), Smack-Donald's
-- Microsoft=> Microsloth, The Borg (I thought only The Husband and I called it the Borg)
-- Walmart (again, impressive levels of hatred)=> Evil-Mart, The Evil Empire, Hell Inc., Evil Inc., Mall-Wart, Wal-Merde ("merde" is the French word for shit), Wally World, Wal-Fart, Small Fart, Sprawl-Mart, Wall-Junk, and my favorite -- Mordor
UPDATE: Mija came up with Suckway for her local Safeway supermarket. I like it... the quality of their stores varies so radically. Keep up the good work, peoples!
UPDATE 2: Tally reminded me of Target=> Tar-zhay (well, of course... what was I not thinking), and added Chuck E. Cheese=> Las Vegas for kids. "Mom, I just need more tokens to get out of this slump. I can feel a winning streak coming on!"
ATCs for everyone!
-- Nike => "Nike-stag" (rhymes with Reichstag), to describe the corporate headquarters
-- Disney's animation division => "Mauschwitz", courtesy of the laid-off animators during the 1990s. (No offense intended to those related to concentration camp survivors and inmates.)
-- Boeing => "Boring." (I didn't say they were all scintillating.)
There must be one for Microsoft, but I don't know it. The closest I've heard are the nicknames for the employees, who've been called "Microsofties" on a good day, and "Microserfs" when the subject of outsourcing comes up.
Do you work for a corporate behemoth, or live in a company town, with a great nickname? Let me know. I could send you some blog candy...
UPDATE: Found some on Wikipedia... there were a lot, but I'm only listing the ones I liked and didn't know before.
-- Bed Bath and Beyond=> Bloodbath and Beyond (now that's what I'm talkin' 'bout!)
-- Starbucks=> Four-bucks, Bucks, Starby's
-- Kodak=> Great Yellow Father
-- Home Depot=> Home Despot (knew this one, but I like it so much)
-- McDonald's (the hatred here is impressive)=>Mickey D's, but also Maccy D, The Golden Nightmare, McDeath, Rotten Ronnie's, McDogchow, McDick's, McConvicts, double-yuck, American Embassy, MacDo (mainly in France), Smack-Donald's
-- Microsoft=> Microsloth, The Borg (I thought only The Husband and I called it the Borg)
-- Walmart (again, impressive levels of hatred)=> Evil-Mart, The Evil Empire, Hell Inc., Evil Inc., Mall-Wart, Wal-Merde ("merde" is the French word for shit), Wally World, Wal-Fart, Small Fart, Sprawl-Mart, Wall-Junk, and my favorite -- Mordor
UPDATE: Mija came up with Suckway for her local Safeway supermarket. I like it... the quality of their stores varies so radically. Keep up the good work, peoples!
UPDATE 2: Tally reminded me of Target=> Tar-zhay (well, of course... what was I not thinking), and added Chuck E. Cheese=> Las Vegas for kids. "Mom, I just need more tokens to get out of this slump. I can feel a winning streak coming on!"
ATCs for everyone!