Isn't it amazing how new characters can leap from the shadowy wings to seize the limelight upon marketing's well-trodden boards? I suppose you could say brands like Amazon and Google did this, although it's surely much easier in an emerging sector - no old favourite acts against whom to vie for fans. To gain recognition in an established market takes something special... and I've long pondered on the role of brand names in this regard. ...................................................................................................................................................................................... The likes of I Can't Believe It's Not Butter and Cillit Bang (and maybe even Billy Bob) spring to mind - I'm sure you can think of a few more. But what prompted me to the subject this week was the sudden emergence across the pond of an unlikely sounding double-act going by the stage-names of Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae. What a delight to hear pompous Radio 4 newsreaders squirm as they stumbled over their lines, half-wondering if some backroom script-bod was having a laugh at their expense! ...................................................................................................................................................................................... But no... but yes... but... it's true. In that most serious of nations, they really do have two trillion-dollar lenders with names from The Waltons. And now - since they're apparently run by the same brand of comedians that commentators are heckling throughout the credit-crunched world - we've all heard of them, daft names to the fore. ...................................................................................................................................................................................... You have to admit, though (or at least give credence to the hypothesis), this news story wouldn't have had half the impact if it had been about some dry old august institutions, The Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation and The Federal National Mortgage Association (to give them their correct epithets). Yawn. In one ear and out the other. ...................................................................................................................................................................................... But Freddie and Fannie really left their mark. (I'm wondering if George Bush came up with these titles... but apparently they date from 1970 and 1938 respectively, so it's a bit of a long shot.) Not exactly an NPD success story, I know... but I can't help feeling it's an educational, real-life example of the cut-through than can be achieved through a message (in this case their names) that is genuinely distinctive.