There’s been a flurry of rebranding activity for new clients at Milestone this year. Naming is something that regularly crops up so we thought we’d pass on some of our insights on the subject.
A great name can make or break a brand. Chosen well, it can be your most powerful and valuable asset. But many organisations struggle with brand naming. Like naming your own children it’s a big responsibility. You want your product to stand out from the crowd but not to get teased on the playground. And if you’ve got big ambitions for your newly christened brand you’ll want to know that the name can travel a bit too. Will it roll off the tongue in other markets or will it have to go abroad under an alias?
Over the next few weeks we’ll give you ten pointers to help give your new widget the best possible start in life. Here’s the first…
1 – Judging names
Before you begin the process of creating names you need to know how to judge them. And for this there’s a few searching questions to ask yourself: Is it on strategy? Does it work for your customers? How ownable is it?
You’ll also need to be aware of how brands work:
/ Brands are helpful – Like signposts for shopping, they make our lives easier
/ Brands nourish our self esteem – They make us feel good about ourselves
/ Brands are original and authentic – They have a point of difference
/ Brands are iconic – They are the shorthand for an experience
/ Brands are memorable – Bland is not an option
/ Brands have a personality – They have a distinct tone of voice
/ Brands are emotional – They connect with our hearts and minds
/ Brands are tribal – They tap into our ancient human need for belonging
Come back soon for the next installment on Strategic Names…
In the meantime, follow these links for some comedic takes on the art of naming.
Armstrong & Miller phone naming sketch
Mitchell & Webb dry cleaning company sketch
