Snippet: The poor letters hardly anybody wants to use, notes Mr. Saenz, are O, P, U and Y...
These letters don't conjure up compelling images, and they are seen as too ordinary for upscale cars, Mr. Saenz says. Although P is associated with perfection and precision, it's also stuck with poor and plain. O looks empty, and is easily confused with zero.
The letters B, F and N also have weaknesses, Mr. Saenz says. B, for example, connotes second class, as in plan B, or B-list. N means "no." F is the letter for failure, not to mention the F-word. Still, each is attached to at least one model: the Subaru B9 Tribeca and Infiniti F45 SUVs, and Acura's NSX sports car.
The letters B, F and N also have weaknesses, Mr. Saenz says. B, for example, connotes second class, as in plan B, or B-list. N means "no." F is the letter for failure, not to mention the F-word. Still, each is attached to at least one model: the Subaru B9 Tribeca and Infiniti F45 SUVs, and Acura's NSX sports car.
jomil says:
06:37 AM, 04/21/06
you meant the FX35 / 45 :)
rsholland says:
07:14 AM, 04/21/06
Not me, but the author who wrote the article. I just quoted him.
ateixeira says:
09:56 AM, 04/21/06
So that's why Subaru only sold 15k Tribecas last year, rather than the 17k projected. ;-)
Drop the B9, it sounds like "benign".
billt9 says:
11:12 AM, 04/22/06
"I am so P.O.'ed at U, my gen Y friend. Leave, BFore I make your Nose cave in." That is the image consumers conjure when they see those letters.
jerrywimer says:
11:04 AM, 04/24/06
Actually, the B9 was named after they got a good look at the final product. It's so ugly that it got a B- from all nine people on the naming committee at Subaru. ;o)