And the Cool Space-Age Name For Cable's Advanced-Ad Joint Venture Is: Canoe

The Wall Street Journal was handed an exclusive interview with the newly minted, now-official CEO of "Project Canoe," David Verklin.

Apparently the best name the MSOs could come up with was: Canoe Ventures LLC. 

Huh, really? Maybe the code name had been hit into play so often that they decided that’s what they should name it.

As already noted in this space, the Canoe name was the object of gentle ridicule by Sanford Bernstein’s Craig Moffett.

And check this out: The URL you’d expect for Canoe Ventures — www.canoeventures.com — is taken. 

The Web site is run by Canadian Airventures Ltd., which touts itself as "your wilderness adventure specialists." Here’s a nice touch: The site plays the soothing sounds of a river and what may be a loon when you get the homepage. Also see their "legendary Beaver bush-plane," um, whatever that is.

Maybe "Canoe" is so retro-sounding it’s cool? I dunno. 

The name, though, is inclined to make me think: Hey, forget watching these stupid interactive, targeted ads on cable! Let’s go rough it in the beautiful splendor of Canada and haul in some jumbo perch!