Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.3 4.3bsd-beta 6/6/85; site moncol.UUCP
Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!cbosgd!ihnp4!houxm!hjuxa!petsd!moncol!john
From: john@moncol.UUCP (John Ruschmeyer)
Newsgroups: net.jokes.d
Subject: Re: Coca Cola and the Chinese market (a true story)
Message-ID: <178@moncol.UUCP>
Date: Sun, 2-Mar-86 01:21:59 EST
Article-I.D.: moncol.178
Posted: Sun Mar  2 01:21:59 1986
Date-Received: Wed, 5-Mar-86 03:48:17 EST
References: <766@cylixd.UUCP> <4294@ut-sally.UUCP>
Reply-To: john@moncol.UUCP (John Ruschmeyer)
Organization: Monmouth College, W. Long Branch, NJ
Lines: 36
Keywords: translated ads

In article <4294@ut-sally.UUCP> ark@sally.UUCP (Arthur M. Keller) writes:
>
>I vaguely remember that Esso changed is name to Exxon because the name
>was a derogatory term in some language.  That's why the double X was
>chosen: it was assumed no language would have that construct.  Anybody
>else remember this or can supply more details?
>
>Arthur

As I recall, the full story was told in one of the last of the old LIFE
magazines. 

If memory serves, they were not changing the name to avoid an adverse
connotation, but to get away from the fact that the name Esso was an
abbreviation for Standard Oil. (I think there may have been some problems
with using this name all over the world.)

Anyway, they began a search for a name which would have no adverse
connotations in any language.

They thought they had it with 'Edso'. One problem, though- 'Edso' means
'stalled car' in Japanese. As the LIFE article said, "stalled cars don't
seel gas".

The name 'Exxon' was finally settled on because the double-x combination
only occurs in one language and was deemed safe enough.


-- 
Name:		John Ruschmeyer
US Mail:	Monmouth College, W. Long Branch, NJ 07764
Phone:		(201) 571-3451
UUCP:		...!vax135!petsd!moncol!john	...!princeton!moncol!john
						   ...!pesnta!moncol!john

Give an ape control of its environment and it will fill the world with bananas.