Continuing our thoughts on brand naming, here’s the second of our ten pointers to help give your new product or service the best possible start in life.

 2 – Strategic names

Strategic names are ones that encapsulate the vision and spirit behind them. Virgin and Apple immediately spring to mind as names that are bang on the vision of the founder. Smoothie brand Innocent makes perfect sense as well.

So writing your brand positioning strategy will be the first benchmark for assessing your naming suggestions. Positioning is about articulating what your brand stands for in a few words – its point of difference and the way it engages the hearts and minds of customers.

If you have a clear statement about the rational and emotional promises your brand delivers you’ll soon spot names that hit or miss the mark.

British brands have the advantage of a largely internationally recognised language. Many trade on a sense of Britishness – Barbour clothing and Churches shoes are a hit all over the world. But others like faux-Japanese clothing brand Superdry deliberately disguise their UK credentials. This Cheltenham-based brand attracts so many customers that some shopping malls don’t charge it rent. Great name? Of course, but the branding is equally as clever. And the well-made, well-priced clothes don’t disappoint either.

Many European brands use national names to communicate national values that benefit their product. German electric appliance brand Miele sells Teutonic precision engineering values. Bon Maman preserves has a wonderfully rustic French artisan brand.

Come back soon for the next installment on Working for your Customers…