Re: [TheThinkTank] New shop name ideas, anyone?
I'd just echo Rachel's point about not trying too hard to come up with some funky word for the name. Having a self-explanatory name makes it easy for people who know nothing about your program recognize what you do. In our case, at an outreach event, a bunch of people just saw the name and walked up and said, "Oh, I'd never heard of your organization before, but can I donate my old bike to you so it doesn't have to go in the garbage?"
And we said, "Absolutely".
Hey Jennifer and all, Rafael from Fort Collins,CO here...
I agree with Rachel, keep it simple...
I believe the name does not make the project, the PROJECT makes the name, just like band names, as long as the music is good people will dig the name...
In our case, for the first four years our project was known as the Bike Against ! collective or Co-op and due to our current situation we are now just called The Fort Collins Bike Co-op... yeah,is not radical but it doesn't have to be. We still have the same ideals and philosophy that gave birth to the organization and again, the quality of your work is ALL that matters in the end.
By changing our name we were able to have access to a lot more resources and therefore help a lot more people.
As for the militant riders out there,who believe that riding a bicycle as main or ONLY means of transportation is also an act of political expression and resistance,we still have the Bike Against! stencil and about ten different colors of spray paint...
Also there's less risk that the name will be already taken.
"we still have the Bike Against! stencil and about ten different colors of spray paint..."
Rafael, is that why you changed your name? I can only imagine the positive message this has spread in Fort Collins...
Jennifer,
I think you want a name that instantly gives people a snapshot of what you do. Mike's comment rings pretty true. Often people will call or email about donating bikes and then ask what it is exactly that we do. If you do bikes and art call it something with bikes and art and you'll be set. The Bike Gallery or something innocent. BICAS' name is pretty cool and explanatory.
Once you pick it, stick with it. Like Rafael said, your shops actions/quality are more important than the name.
Brian
On 4/28/08, bike against bikeagainst@gmail.com wrote:
Hey Jennifer and all, Rafael from Fort Collins,CO here...
I agree with Rachel, keep it simple...
I believe the name does not make the project, the PROJECT makes the name, just like band names, as long as the music is good people will dig the name...
In our case, for the first four years our project was known as the Bike Against ! collective or Co-op and due to our current situation we are now just called The Fort Collins Bike Co-op... yeah,is not radical but it doesn't have to be. We still have the same ideals and philosophy that gave birth to the organization and again, the quality of your work is ALL that matters in the end.
By changing our name we were able to have access to a lot more resources and therefore help a lot more people.
As for the militant riders out there,who believe that riding a bicycle as main or ONLY means of transportation is also an act of political expression and resistance,we still have the Bike Against! stencil and about ten different colors of spray paint...
Also there's less risk that the name will be already taken.
-- Rafael Cletero Project Coordinator Fort Collins Bicycle Co-op ph (970) 484 38 04 www.fcbikecoop.org _______________________________________________ Thethinktank mailing list Thethinktank@bikecollectives.org http://lists.bikecollectives.org/listinfo.cgi/thethinktank-bikecollectives.o...
Thanks for all the advise everybody!!! I'll keep you updated on what we come up with.
Jen --- bike against bikeagainst@gmail.com wrote:
Hey Jennifer and all, Rafael from Fort Collins,CO here...
I agree with Rachel, keep it simple...
I believe the name does not make the project, the PROJECT makes the name, just like band names, as long as the music is good people will dig the name...
In our case, for the first four years our project was known as the Bike Against ! collective or Co-op and due to our current situation we are now just called The Fort Collins Bike Co-op... yeah,is not radical but it doesn't have to be. We still have the same ideals and philosophy that gave birth to the organization and again, the quality of your work is ALL that matters in the end.
By changing our name we were able to have access to a lot more resources and therefore help a lot more people.
As for the militant riders out there,who believe that riding a bicycle as main or ONLY means of transportation is also an act of political expression and resistance,we still have the Bike Against! stencil and about ten different colors of spray paint...
Also there's less risk that the name will be already taken.
-- Rafael Cletero Project Coordinator Fort Collins Bicycle Co-op ph (970) 484 38 04 www.fcbikecoop.org
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participants (4)
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bike against -
Jennifer Nordhem -
mike eng -
Urban Bike Project Wilmington, DE