Cautionary Considerations for Brand Names

In a previous post, we explored characteristics of strong brand names - the best are memorable and communicate a message. Having already covered naming categories and features that increase recall, here are a few cautionary steps to ensure your name is remembered for the right reason and avoids communicating the wrong message. 

KEEP IT SHORT

A crucial aspect of a repeatable name is brevity. This doesn't mean all names should be single words, but as a general rule: less is more.  

An oft-cited historical example is Vicks VapoRub, whose sales struggled when it was known as Dr. Richardson's Croup and Pneumonia CureSalve. If there is more to say on your logo or packaging, save it for a tag line. 

ONLY MAKE PROMISES YOU CAN KEEP

This practice holds true in all aspects of branding, not just naming. BP's Horizon Oil Spill in 2010, for example - the worst oil disaster in history - was committed by a company who, a decade earlier, rebranded itself as "Beyond Petroleum" to be viewed as more environmentally friendly. BP was recently found guilty of "gross negligence and wilful misconduct."

Words can have serious consequences. Recent research shows brands that work harder to promote a certain reputation come under far more scrutiny when they fail to meet expectations.  

CONSIDER YOUR CONSUMER

A brand name should be relevant to the education and vocabulary level of the target consumer. 

The name Viagra, for example, uses less complex vocabulary than it's formulaic name Sildenafil Citrate. Simplifying scientific names for medicinal products is a fascinating area of brand naming. 

DECIDE WHETHER TO BE DISTANT OR CONSISTENT

No rule states a good brand name should always stand out. In come cases, you do want a name that helps you to fit in. 

Law firms are almost always named after their founding partners. In this case, a law firm that uses a different naming convention may seem illegitimate or unprofessional by comparison. 

The first step is determining the type of signal you want to send. Given the visibility and permanence of brand names, it may not be worth the risk. Other aspects of the brand can be used to highlight distinctiveness.

A memorable example occurred when the British Post Office Group infamously changed it's name to Consignia in 2002. While intentions were honourable - signalling a new direction after being privatized - manufactured or outlandish names seem more appropriate for pharmaceutical and technology companies:

“Naming a company Google or Squidoo or Blueturnip in the dot-com world isn’t weird. It’s the equivalent of naming your kid Michael.” - Seth Godin

BE ORIGINAL

An overwhelming number of Asian brands include words like "golden," "moon," "fortune," "lucky," "harvest," and "prosperity." While the words have positive associations - key to a strong name - they are so common in nomenclature they are no longer distinct or believable. Other examples include "happy," "excellent," "best," "quality," "top," "smart" or "reliable." Imagine if Sears's car battery was named Reliable, instead of DieHard?

Being forced to think outside of the box is a good thing. Magazine titles Flex and Escape have far greater symbolism than their generic-named competitors, Fitness and Traveller. 

QUANTITY, NOT JUST QUALITY

It's funny how we can sometimes ignore simple logistics. We could find the perfect brand name, but if a “.com” or “.org,” domain extension isn't available, we might end up driving business towards a competitor. There is also the minefield of trademark restrictions to navigate. 

By some measures, less than 5% of names submitted for trademark pass an availability screening. 

A few strategies can help circumvent this challenge: 

• Generate as many ideas without judgement as possible during brainstorming so you can easily return to previous ideas
• Intentionally misspell words in your product's name ("Froot" instead of "Fruit") 
• Transpose words in the name to create a different order

CROWD SOURCE

The end consumer will tell you if it sounds pleasing to the ear or otherwise, so make extensive use of focus groups and outsider opinion. 

At the end of the day, it matters more what consumers think about your brand name than analysts and executives. 

TRANSLATE

If a brand is global, it must consider the meaning of its name in every country it does business. This particular item is one I will explore at greater length in a future post.