Our Brand Naming Process
Developing a great brand name will be one of the most important decisions you will ever make and is easily the most important part of the brand development process. When you have a great name that is easy to remember and resonates with your target audience, the greater the likelihood that people will develop an emotional connection with your brand and share your brand name with their family and friends.
Whether we are developing a company or product name, the brand naming process below illustrates the steps for creating a powerful and lasting brand name.
Brand Naming Starts With Positioning
The first step in the naming process is to understand that naming is really all about “brand positioning”. Brand positioning can be thought of as the core values that you want to convey to your audience through your brand personality. The more specific and detailed your brand positioning is, the more effective your name will be. The reason why we focus on brand positioning first is so that your brand name ultimately aligns with the values and characteristics of your target audience. Once we have determined the brand positioning we are now able to concentrate only names that strongly identify with the brand positioning.
Competitive Analysis – Make Sure To Stand Out From The Competition
The next step in the brand naming process is to thoroughly understand the competitive landscape and look for opportunities to stand out from the pack. You don’t want to blend in with the competition, but rather stand out from your competitors. By doing a thorough competitive analysis we are able to identify opportunities for creating a brand name that is unique and memorable for your target audience and is unique within your marketplace.
Brand Name Development – The 4 Types of Names
Now comes the fun part – actually coming up with names! In general, there are four different types of names: Invented, Evocative, Experiential and Descriptive names.
Invented Brand Names
Invented names such as “Kodak” are made-up words and they have become more and more popular lately as they are the easiest to trademark and get a corresponding domain name for.
Evocative Brand Names
Evocative names are metaphorical and often reflect our cultural associations and shared knowledge. “Twitter” for example evokes the common feeling of hearing birds chattering in short bursts of chirps, cheeps and tweets.
Experiential Brand Names
Experiential names build on a feeling or experience with a brand. Experiential names are often positioning statements in themselves and set an expectation for what the company is like. “Virgin Airlines” for example suggests that the airline offers a fresh and new way of flying. Experiential names and their meaning must always be connected to the brand experience.
Descriptive Brand Names
Descriptive names simply describe what a company or product does, or it may refer literally to the company founder’s names. “Kentucky Fried Chicken” or “Just Tires” are descriptive name. These days it is very difficult to build a unique brand around a descriptive name as the name will not stand out. Remember, good branding is all about standing out from the pack.
Name Pronunciation and Spelling – Is It Easy To Remember and Spell?
Remember, your brand name will be spoken many times by many different people. Is it easy to pronounce and remember? Is it simple to spell if someone wants to search for your brand online? Having a functional name that is easy to remember and search for is a critical factor in future brand success. We develop names that are easy to spell, pronounce and remember.
Trademark and Domain Search – Can I Really Own It?
What’s the purpose in having a brand name if you cannot truly “own” it? All of the company or product names that we present to our clients go through a United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) search and a Google search. We also search for available website domains so that your new brand name can have exactly the same website domain name.
Be Bold, Adventurous and Thought Provoking
Remember, the key to a successful brand naming project is to focus on the positioning of your brand and then identify brand names that will support that positioning. The name should stand out from your competitive landscape and should be easy to pronounce and spell. Be bold and adventurous with your naming decision and allow your brand name to be original, thought provoking and as powerful as the vision you have for your company or product.
