2014-04: The [insert name of well known disruptor] of [insert industry or vertical]

I guess this can go under the more things change, the more they are the same…

In the late days of the first wave of internet start ups there was a proliferation of companies whose tag line became the above. In short the X of Y. These companies were often ridiculed as they were simply latching on to the reputation of another company to solicit interest. Regardless of who they were or whether their products were any good. The lack of an imaginative tag line as conveyor of disruption and ingenuity showed exactly the opposite. Worse they suddenly tide their brand name to that other company, and should that company’s reputation get tarnished, they would suddenly get the negative association with it.

Fast forward to 2014, and we’re seeing a new crop of these companies:
– the netflix of books
– the zipcar of planes
– the Amazon of medicine
– …

To me this is really ironic, and sad that we are getting to that point again. Maybe the worse case are ones where it’s referring to another company who’s tag line is a reference to another company (that’s so meta).