More more more imaginary brand stuff

Imaginary brands and products are everywhere! People, don’t forget, I’ve been all over this topic for years!

Today’s news:

1. Core77 kicks off Design Fancy,”a series of short stories about fictional designers who make fictional things,” here. The entry concerns “the Heckman method” (above), which is explained this way: “This involved selling one long candle for every four short ones. People were warm to the idea initially but abandoned the method once they realized that more wax ended up on the cake this way.”

2. Elsewhere: SnarkHunting notes that the name of a new Comcast service, Xfinity, interestingly echoes Dunder Mifflin’s internal “infinity” project. Dunder Mifflin is of course the fictional paper company on The Office; its logo includes an infinity symbol.

Xfinity is meant to signal Comcast’s foray into the future of high tech possibilities, while at Dunder Mifflin, “Infinity” is the name of the internal initiative to bring technology to the failing paper company.

Why would the comedy writers of “The Office” chose the name “Dunder Mifflin Infinity” for the high tech effort? Because it is silly, obvious, pitiful and ridiculous, in keeping with ambiance of the show.

Obviously the naming experts at Snark Hunting are being a little, well, snarky, about the wisdom of the Xfinity name’s invocation of infinity-ness. But I think you get the point. If not, here’s how their post ends: “Comcast Xfinity. The possibilities are mindless.”

3. And finally: Box Vox zeroes in on two imaginary products —  Skinny N Sweet and Rid O Rat — whose similar packaging is a plot point in 9 To 5.