The word ’Spanx’ was funny. It made people laugh. No one ever forgot it.

Blakely is highlighting the branding power of a name that is playful, slightly irreverent, and easy to remember. “Spanx” works not because it describes the product in a technical way, but because it creates an immediate emotional reaction—laughter—and that reaction improves recall. The quote also implies a founder’s willingness to embrace informality and risk in naming: a “funny” word can cut through skepticism, make a new category feel approachable, and travel by word of mouth. In a broader entrepreneurial sense, it underscores that memorability and distinctiveness can be as strategically important as product features.