This is a Joke, Right?

Wrong. But it is one of those things that you think must be a joke when it shows up in your email. About Golf received a press release today about a new line of products whose name left me scratching my head (and nothing else!). You won't believe it either. Read on ... if you dare!

The new line is one of sunscreens and other skin care products developed specifically for golfers. There is a lip balm and a hand sanitizer, along with the sunscreen, among other products in the line.

Pretty good idea, actually. Golfers don't pay as much attention to skin safety and skin care as we should (take a look at some of those leathery, mottled guys on the Senior Tour if you disagree).

So what's the big deal? Well, it's the name the company - Fore Cosmetics, based in Scottsdale, Ariz. - has chosen for its golfer-geared skin care products. The name of the product line is ... is ... um ... OK, I'm just going to blurt it out:

Fore Skin.

Oh, how I wish I was making that up. Fore Skin. Guys (we'll stick with the gender implication), what were you thinking?

Maybe they were thinking, "any publicity is good publicity." Because here they are getting publicity. I thought it was joke when I saw that name, but there was a Web site address provided in the press release: fore-skin.com.

And so, with much trepidation, I clicked on Fore Skin. It's no joke. "Fore Skin" is a real line of skin care products developed by a real company.

A real company that desperately needed to hire a marketing consultant to help them come up with a name. But, tragically, did not.

Would you use something called "Fore Skin Lip Therapy?"