I saw my sister Linda when I visited Minnesota over the holidays.
Linda is the one who came up with the title Freakonomics. She was complaining how unfair it is that everywhere she looks, she sees people ripping off her idea. I asked her what she was talking about, and she offered up lame examples like “Obamanomics.”
I reminded her that the term “Reaganomics” existed long before Freakonomics, and I chided her for being egotistical.
That was before I saw the new 3conomics campaign from Wendy’s.
and 
. You can also watch it on 
The real question is- the source of the idea- but then I guess you already know the answer to that question- so do i- and i have for a while. Got ya!
I’m very glad that you have posted something about this. I am often reading or doing something else with the TV on, and every single time that commercial comes on I look up thinking they are talking about Freakonomics. Stop it, Wendy’s, stop it!
So glad this has been addressed…every time I see one of those commercials, I at first think they’re saying “Freakonomics” and I do a double take. However, I don’t actually think this is a case of Wendy’s ripping off the name Freakonomics deliberately. It’s too bold a move to have been on purpose (risking lawsuit for an ad campaign?). I think they are following the recent trend of naming things with the “-onomics” add-on (such as Obamanomics). But I do think that trend was started or at least largely influenced by Freakonomics.
or ‘mazdanomics’ for that matter…
Freakonomics has certainly started a trend. Here are a few obvious examples.
BUYOLOGY
http://www.amazon.com/Buyology-Truth-Lies-About-Why/dp/0385523882
FREEDOMNOMICS
http://www.amazon.com/Freedomnomics-Market-Works-Half-Baked-Theories/dp/1596985062/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1231869460&sr=1-10
Palintology(?)
McBush(?)
Both my son and I were a little surprised to see the Wendy’s tagline 3conomics. We thought they were using Freakonomics at first, but we did eventually figure out the correct pronunciation. My next thought was whether they had contacted you for permission, or if they had taken liberties. In any event, thier use of the term is clearly a rip-off of your brand, and I for one think it should be an issue. Their strategy seems to make it confusing to separate the two entities. In my opinion, you need to protect your brand.
Maybe you can get free Frostys for life out of it, like Kramer. Just make sure you get good representation.
Totally, agree. As soon as I saw that ad for Wendy’s I immediately thought, “what a rip off.”