“‘Isis’ name a black flag for businesses”

This article is about the consequences some businesses are facing from having a business name that includes ‘ISIS’. ISIS is an acronym for the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, which is recognized by Canada as a foreign terrorist organization. ISIS claims territory along with ‘religious authority’ over all muslims and has been terrorizing civilians with “targeted killings […], abductions, rape and other forms of sexual and physical violence”.

Some companies that use ‘Isis’ in their names are catching heat from consumers who might assume the company is affiliated with ISIS. I thought that this was directly related to discussions we’ve had in class about value propositions, and how you have to get into the perspective of the consumer. Some consumers are seeing products with ‘Isis’ in their names negatively, questioning the origins of the product and sometimes refusing to buy. Many companies using ‘Isis’ have completely rebranded to avoid damaging their reputations, while others are trying to defend their established brands. An Australian construction company named ISIS has recently told its workers to not wear their uniforms to “limit attention from misinformed people and ensure the safety of […] employees”.

I also found out that the Sauder School of Buissness has its own ‘ISIS Research Center’, which is aimed at applying business tools to come up with solutions to “exsisting social, cultural, economic, political, and environmental challenges”. Although they have a clear positive mission statement, are not focused on directly selling a product, I wonder if they have run into any trouble with their name?

Images:
http://www.isis.com.au/media/237253/careers_women_in_construction.jpg
http://egyptianstreets.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/econ.png