Sherri May & Co.

Names are important. We all know it instinctively. Expectant parents get it since they spend months pondering baby names before the tyke is even born. “What should his initials be? They can’t spell anything embarrassing like GAS, that’s for sure. What nicknames will work? What will the bullies at school call him? We need to limit potential disaster while still honoring Uncle Bubba” … and it goes on.

But it makes sense. Names can carry positive and negative connotations. And oftentimes the first impression is difficult to shake whether it’s good or bad. And I’m not just talking about baby names. Product names can either bring out customer loyalty or make customers feel uneasy, even if there’s nothing concrete to back up those feelings.

And marketing gurus know it too. That’s why we’re all familiar with a product known as “canola oil” after a 1988 name change from “low erucic acid rapeseed oil.” (It just didn’t roll of the tongue, did it?) It’s also why we “Google” something instead of “Backrub” it. Can you imagine if Google had launched under its original name, “Backrub?” Talk about disaster!

So given these examples, it makes sense why the Corn Refiner’s Association has applied to the FDA to get a new name for high fructose corn syrup, a product that has received a lot of negative press and scrutiny over the last ten years. They’re hoping the new name, “corn sugar,” will sweeten the sound of their product and give it a rebirth.

In the end, nothing about high fructose corn syrup as a product is going to change, the only thing that will change is how the Corn Refiner’s Association refers to it. Is that enough to change our minds about the way we perceive high fructose corn syrup? Are you going to buy juice for your children if it has corn sugar in it? You tell me.

It was a day like any other. We had just finished our morning huddle, and I was settling into my morning routine. Suddenly, two men came through the door asking for Angi Brugger. I came out of my office and was immediately handcuffed. My coworkers just laughed and started snapping pictures. Okay, so this wasn’t a real arrest… it was actually a charity event.

This staged arrest is called Lock-Up, and it’s an annual event hosted by the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA). And their visit wasn’t much of a surprise since I had been raising money for months in preparation for this day.

After the two young men showed up, I was taken downstairs and loaded into the “Paddy Wagon.” We picked up two more jailbirds and arrived at our final destination, Hanny’s Restaurant in Phoenix. Soon after, we got to see who would contribute from our donations– several children who were a part of the Jerry’s Kids foundation gave us a warm welcome.

Then, we continued with the planned events. We got our mug shots taken, then we got our photos taken with a showgirl (I’m still trying to figure out how that tied in), and finally, we sat down to make additional calls to raise our “bail,” which meant making calls for additional donations.

While I was calling friends and family to raise a few more dollars, I also networked with the people around me. Every time we collected $100, we rang a bell which turned into a conversation and usually ended in a name exchange. So not only did I raise $610 for MDA, I made a couple of new friends and really enjoyed the event. I will definitely recruit some friends for next year’s Lock-Up!

Click here to find out more about MDA, Jerry’s Kids and the Lock-Up event.