Vocabulary and Cultural Notes:

Intel [`ıntel] – Robert Noyce and Gordon Moore initially incorporated their company as N M Electronics. Someone suggested Moore Noyce Electronics but it sounded too close to “more noise”. Later, Integrated Electronics was proposed but it had already been taken, so they used the initial syllables (INTegrated ELectronics). To avoid potential conflicts with other companies with similar names, Intel purchased the name rights for $15,000 from a company called Intelco.

Johnson & Johnson – originally a partnership between brothers James Wood Johnson and Edward Mead Johnson in 1885; the addition of brother Robert Wood Johnson I led to formal incorporation as Johnson & Johnson in 1887.

Kodak [`kəudæk] / [`koudæk] – both the Kodak camera and the name were the invention of founder George Eastman. The letter “K” was a favourite with Eastman; he felt it a strong and incisive letter. He tried out various combinations of words starting and ending with “K”. He saw three advantages in the name. It had the merits of a trademark word, would not be mispronounced and the name did not resemble anything in the art. There is a misconception that the name was chosen because of its similarity to the sound produced by the shutter of the camera.

Mars [mα:z] / [mα:rz] – named after Frank C. Mars and his wife, Ethel, who started making candy in 1911. Their son, Forrest E. Mars, joined with Bruce Murrie, the son of a Hershey executive, to form M&M Ltd (from Mars & Murrie). Forrest took over the family business after his father’s death and merged the two companies in 1964. After retiring from Mars, Inc. in 1993, Forrest founded Ethel M. Chocolates, named after his mother.