We mostly talk about naming around here, but we do a good bit of Brand Architecture work, too, so I thought it would be fun to share a simple principle of brand architecture.
All In The Family
I want to encourage you to think ahead, maybe even way, way ahead, when you’re naming products or services. If you have any dreams of line extensions down the road, then please give extra points to name options that work better in a “family” of names, like apple’s i-names!
TOO CLEVER BY HALF
I love a clever name as much as the next guy. Actually, let’s face it, I think about clever names more than most people. They fill me with joy!
Talking Too Much
Those of us who name things for a living sometimes find ourselves talking too much when we’re trying to convince clients that a name is great. It’s the kiss of death! Don’t do it! A great name stands on its own.
Established Year X
Does it help your brand to call out the year it was established? Like everything in branding, it depends. You have to think about what people are looking for from your category. If it’s longevity, and you HAVE some, that’s great.
Life’s A Witch
‘Tis the season to think about spooky things, like witchcraft. But it’s also really interesting, no matter what the season, to think about why witchcraft is so popular these days.
Battle of the Brands: Comirnaty vs. Spikevax
You guys probably know how I feel about the name Pfizer has given their COVID 19 vaccine, Comirnaty. In this video, I put it into a battle of the brands vs. Moderna’s vaccine name, Spikevax. Basically, I just wanted to kick Comirnaty’s ass one more time. It’s that bad.
Starbucks Does It Again?
It’s clear that Starbucks really caught lightning in a bottle with the seasonal drink favorite Pumpkin Spice Latte. We believe that there’s some special magic in that name that has contributed to its success. They have other fall drinks they bring out. This year they’ve introduced the Apple Crisp Macchiato.
IS YOUR NAME BRANDTRUE
There are a lot of things to keep in mind when choosing between names. We’ve always used an informal checklist of the most important considerations. Recently, we made it a FORMAL checklist and we use the acronym TRUE to remember the four critical elements (Transparency, Realness, Uniqueness, and Engagement).
