BAM Monthly Newsletter: May 2025
Business acronyms; Netflix's new look; Witty A.1. steak sauce; Plus: BAM's new website!
Welcome to Issue 3 of BAM Monthly, a newsletter covering recent news, trends and observations in the world of communications, presented by BAM Communications Services, LLC.
In this month’s edition:
Businesses being looted by political acronyms
Netflix Enters Its Eclipse Era
An A+ response to an A.1. flub
Businesses being looted by political acronyms
Businesses and individuals with names coincidentally matching political and culture war terms like "DEI" (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) are facing unintended backlash. David Markley, who runs Design Engineering Inc. (DEI) in Ohio, and Ricardo Gomez, who owns DEI Equipment, both report confusion and negative reactions due to their companies' shared initials with the controversial acronym.
Additionally, Elon University students hesitate to wear school gear labeled “Elon” due to associations with Elon Musk, and the Harte Research Institute dropped “Gulf of Mexico” from its name after Trump renamed it “Gulf of America” in an executive order.
Being the owner of a “three-letter” business myself, I consulted my good friend, ChatGPT, to provide a list of terms that perhaps BAM should be looking out for. Here are a handful of the best:
1. Blatant Abuse of Money
2. Budget Allocation Mistake
3. Blanket Accusation Machine
4. Borrowed Authority Misused
5. Biased Algorithm Metrics
Hopefully these terms are never abbreviated, popularized and associated with yours truly.
Check out BAM Communications’ brand-new website!
If you are in need of communications assistance, please reach out today!
Netflix enters its Eclipse era
Netflix is set to unveil a major redesign of its television home page, marking the first significant update since 2013. The new layout emphasizes video and animation over text, aiming to create a sleeker interface that encourages viewers to start watching and stay engaged. This overhaul, dubbed "Eclipse" internally, includes a top navigation bar for easier access and "responsive recommendations" that update in near-real time based on user preferences.
The company hopes Eclipse will streamline decision-making for viewers, showcasing fewer titles but with more detailed previews and recommendations. It looks like Netflix has come a long way from sending subscribers two DVDs a week via the U.S. Postal Service.
An A+ response to an A.1. flub
During a recent education panel, Secretary of Education Linda McMahon accidentally referred to "AI" (artificial intelligence) as "A1," leading to a wave of online amusement. While discussing the integration of technology in schools, she praised the idea of “A1 teaching” for young students. The steak sauce brand A.1., seizing the viral moment, responded with a spoof image of their bottle labeled “For education purposes only.”
The post quickly gained traction and drew praise for its humor, creativity, and engagement, with some commenters even pledging to buy the sauce in support.