• Over 2,800 people were quizzed to see if they knew the meaning of previous team names on The Apprentice• Connexus and Eclipse were the most confusing with only 26% getting it right• More than one in 20 thought Typhoon was named after a brand of tea• Can you decipher the corporate jargon of team names on The Apprentice?
Every year the team name selection on the Apprentice is a hot topic on social media, with many quick to judge or jeer the choices. With this year’s team names now finally revealed – Empower and Unison – people seem less than impressed on Twitter, but are they the worst names the show has seen?
Now, research has revealed which of the 28 former team names on The Apprentice are the most confusing, after 2,811 people were quizzed by Unhooked Communications to see if they could correctly define the words used in the team identities.
‘Connexus’ was one of the most confusing team names, with only 26 per cent knowing it was Latin for ‘a connecting structure’. ‘Eclipse’ also proved difficult to understand, with 26 per cent of people correctly guessing the definition of ‘when something becomes less important’.
Less than half (46 per cent) knew ‘venture’ was something that involved risk and just over half (57 per cent) knew Apollo was a God of music, poetry, light, prophecy and various other titles.
When it came to Team Graphene, 60 per cent knew it as the word for of carbon in a single atom, but 9 per cent thought it was a computer programme made to use graphs and 3 per cent thought it was magazine dedicated to graphic design.
The majority (83 per cent) knew Team Typhoon was named after a violent storm with strong circular winds, but 6 per cent thought it was a tea brand and 11 per cent didn’t think it was a real word at all.
With some of the words offering surprising definitions, it begs the question if the candidates themselves even truly understand the words they’re using for their brand.
Claire Gamble, MD of Unhooked Communications, which carried out the research, said: “The Apprentice is brilliant entertainment, but it doesn’t always portray the realities of running a business. It’s always funny watching the teams try to come up with their names and so often get criticised for being too literal, overly complicated or just plain cringeworthy. But that’s the joy of the show, you don’t need to be a business or marketing expert to have an opinion and it highlights just how some seemingly ‘easy’ jobs – like coming up with a brand name – are actually more difficult than you first think. We can’t wait to hear the associated gags Lord Sugar comes up with too.”
The most confusing team names ranked
Team name
Definition
Who got it right?
Connexus
A connecting structure
26%
Eclipse
When something becomes less important
Venture
An activity involving risk
46%
Apollo
A god connected to things like music
57%
Graphene
A form of carbon in a single atom
60%
Synergy
The power of a group working together
65%
Titans
Someone who is clever, important or strong
67%
Summit
The highest point of a mountain
68%
Sterling
A precious metal of particular purity
Forte
The ability to do something well
Tenacity
A determination to keep doing something
71%
Renaissance
A growth of interest in art or music
72%
Nebular
A cloud of dust or gas in outer space
75%
Invicta
Undeafeted
Endeavor
To try to do something
80%
Collaborative
To work together with someone else
81%
Typhoon
A violent storm with strong circular wins
83%
Logic
A way of thinking based on good judgement
85%
Impact
The force of an object hitting another
Stealth
A quiet, careful action to avoid attention
86%
Evolve
To develop gradually
88%
Empire
A large organisation
89%
Versatile
To easily be used for different purposes
90%
Alpha
A Greek letter
Phoenix
A mythical bird able to regenerate through flame
91%
Velocity
The speed at which an object travels
Vitality
Energy and strength
93%
Ignite
To cause something to start burning
96%
Answers
Not a word
11%
A brand of tea drank in the UK
6%
A disease causing high temperatures and pains
0%
19%
A shape resembling a collarbone
Something that goes around the neck
5%
Necessary and important
1%
Sad and lonely
28%
A computer programme made to use graphs
9%
A magazine focused on graphic design
3%
A light, strong metal chemical element
18%
12%
A boat that sinks
The outer bone of the lower leg
10%
An unclear or vague idea
To know a lot about a certain topic
8%
To write something in the form of poetry
2%
50%
A computer programme or software
21%
Having a close relationship with people
Slang term used meaning ‘something’
To order someone to come to a place
To rent and live in a building
16%
13%
A fear or phobia of the number 10
To move around a central point or ilne
4%
To solve a problem or difficulty
15%
To love or care for someone
Something free from bacteria
A common bird with dark feathers
An imaginary bird that sets itself on fire
An arched structure in the body
Someone who really dislikes something
An activity that involves risk
An exciting trip
The invention of something new
A name you enter to use a computer
An act of cutting down trees for wood
A person who supports and defends something
17%
The greek word for sorry
7%
To run lava into rock
To make a disappearing worry grow stronger
A greek letter
A Greek animal
A Greek dish
A strong worry about health
The act of stealing someone’s limelight
The speed an object travels at
A track for bicylce racing with curved sides
Used to describe the texture of velvet
A military building designed to defend
The ability to judge the future
Words that are similar
When people meet to discuss religion
A large building
To buy or get something
A type of fashion with lots of frills
A rich and successful person
A circular shape
43%
22%
A meteor shower
Undecided
Uninvited
To make an agreement between two people
An object that comes wrapped in packaging
Media ContactCompany Name: Unhooked CommunicationsContact Person: Claire GambleEmail: Send EmailPhone: ?0161 533 0433City: ManchesterCountry: United KingdomWebsite: www.weareunhooked.com