Big Blue

コンピュータ最大手のIBMが気象専門会社のThe Weather Companyを買収したというニュースが目に留まりました。


IBM bought The Weather Company because weather affects nearly everything

Big Blue is making a big bet that companies will want to spend money on more accurate weather forecasting.

IBM on Wednesday said that it had acquired most of The Weather Company including Weather.com and Weather Underground news sites as well as its vast trove of weather data. The deal does not include the company's cable television outlet, The Weather Channel, which will continue to broadcast.

IBM would not confirm the financial terms of the deal, but the Wall Street Journal reported that thte price was over $2 billion.
(Jonathan Vanian. IBM bought The Weather Company because weather affects nearly everything. Fortune. October 28, 2015.)


記事中に、


Big Blue


というのが何度か出てきますが、これはIBM社の別称として定着しているもので、メトニミーに分類される表現です。

同社のロゴは青色ですが、コンピュータメーカーの最大手であることと合わせて、Big Blueとなったようです。

"the Golden Arches"も参考にしてください。