Bangkok Post, Thailand, Insider Column.

Sep. 6--We are pleased to declare a moratorium on jokes about Accenture, now that an equally worthy successor has emerged in the sweepstakes for dopey corporate names.

Step forward, Fonterra, the New Zealand behemoth that was briefly known as Global Dairy Company after three large producers merged.

If the name sounds vaguely Latin and conveys little information about what the company is or does, there are many precedents.

One need only think of Diageo, which gathers Guinness and other food and beverage concerns under its umbrella. But have you ever heard anyone at Shenanigans ask for a "dark, frothy glass of Diageo draught"? Thought so.

Back in New Zealand, meanwhile, the staff of Fonterra and the general public are still trying to acclimatise themselves to the name of their country's largest enterprise.

Already jokes are making the rounds that the CEO should be known as the Fonterror, and specially aggressive sales staff as Fonterriers.

And pity the poor receptionists. One day they're saying "Global Dairy" when they answer the telephone, and the next day they're saying "Fonterra" and trying to suppress the giggles.