Everyone today understands the importance of branding. If you come up with a good name and a catchy slogan for your product, you stand much more chance of being remembered.
For example, "Jack Cohen's general store" lacks the simplicity and panache of what it eventually came - ie "Tesco". And you would be unlikely to sit in a pub and brag about your latest "Bayerische Motoren Werke", though you might well bore your friends with news about your new BMW.
Could it be the case that many worthy figures from history have been forgotten, simply because their names are not memorable? Certainly we all remember the magnificent Admiral Lord Nelson who died heroically at the Battle of Trafalgar. However, the name Cuthbert Collingwood is less well known - even though he was the chap who took over at Trafalgar after Nelson's death. And it was Collingwood who ultimately won the battle after altering Nelson's strategy to make it even more successful.
This may be the reason why Alfred The Great is remembered much more readily than his arguably similarly great grandson, Aethelstan. This monarch shared many of his grandfather's excellent qualities and some even consider him to be the first king of England, since unlike his predecessors he managed to conquer the mighty York. But the name "Aethelstan" hardly rolls off the tongue.
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