What's in a name? Eight best practices for creating a successful name brand
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What’s in a name? Eight best practices for creating a successful brand name Nikolas Contis, Global Director of Naming, Siegel+Gale Based on an article first published online for Admap– March 2014
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Think about the importance of one right word. Brand names are often just that … one word, like Apple. When it comes to developing brand names, one or two right words count most. One might think that brand names should come easily. Richard Branson just trusted his instincts when he came up with the Virgin name while drinking with a group of fiends in a pub. But what’s the best way to get the best brand name? And, how do you know it’s the best? Is there some sort of formula for success? Truth is, creating brand names is more than an art than a science, but there are strategic best practices that a good marketer should follow in order to increase the likelihood of success when creating a new brand name.
Transcript of What's in a name? Eight best practices for creating a successful name brand
What’s in a name?Eight best practices for creating a successful brand name
Nikolas Contis, Global Director of Naming, Siegel+GaleBased on an article first published online for Admap– March 2014
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Think about the importance of one right word. Brand names are often just that … one word, like Apple. When it comes to developing brand names, one or two right words count most.
One might think that brand names should come easily. Richard Branson just trusted his instincts when he came up with the Virgin name while drinking with a group of fiends in a pub. But what’s the best way to get the best brand name? And, how do you know it’s the best? Is there some sort of formula for success?
Truth is, creating brand names is more than an art than a science, but there are strategic best practices that a good marketer should follow in order to increase the likelihood of success when creating a new brand name.
Nikolas ContisGlobal Director of Naming
Siegel+Gale
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Eight best practices for creating a successful
brand name
1. You need a strategic foundation
2. Strive for more than the sum of its parts
3. Develop your name for the long term
4. Name only what should be named
5. Think of words in new and different ways
6. Hire a trademark solicitor
7. Watch your language
8. The bottom line
1. You need a strategic foundation“You must first have a sound strategic brand platform,
including a solid purpose, a compelling promise, authentic values and a strong voice. This strategic platform will give you the essential foundation needed to express your brand in everything you say and do – including what you ‘say’ with your brand name.”
2. Strive for more than the sum of the parts
“When developing your new name, look for the poetry beyond the prose. Don’t try to explain or reiterate your strategy in the name. Look instead for a name that adds a layer of creative value – one that adds richness and depth to your strategic foundation.”
3. Develop your name for the long term
“Great brand names are able to live richer, longer lives. That’s not to say they shouldn’t be consistent with key strategic messages. But it is to say they must be created with a vision that ranges beyond.”
“Another mistake that marketers often make is the decision to name something that shouldn’t be named. Often what’s needed, instead, is better brand architecture. Brand architecture, in simple terms, is how a company organises its brand portfolio.”
4. Name only what should be named
“The massive marketplace of brands is forcing marketers to innovate and to consider words in new and different ways. Looking at words in new ways helps to navigate against not only the marketing ‘clutter’ of typical brand names, but around the trademark challenges as well.”
5. Think of words in new and different ways
“Naming firms can help with generating and screening a large number of names at a preliminary level. But you’ll need a solicitor, a specialised trademark counsel. Without a very good one, you won’t get the name you want.”
6. Hire a trademark solicitor
“Know exactly what your name means and run a global language check on your name before announcing it to the world. Even if your brand is not global, we live in a global world and hence all names are global.”
7. Watch your language
“A name can add to the bottom line of any good branding programme by setting proper expectations. It’s unimportant for you or anyone else to ‘like’ a name. What is most important is that your name sets relevant, compelling, believable expectations about your product, service or company.”
8. The bottom line
