You have a great product or service, and you firmly believe
that this will be the next big thing. But then you ask yourself, "How
shall I name my product?" These are hurdles that hinder aspiring
entrepreneurs to transform their ideas to reality. Branding can be daunting
task. And if not done right, it can significantly tarnish your brand image.
Creating a name with the perfect fit is a challenge for most us. Choosing a
name requires an exhaustive research and usually consumes a lot of time. A
brand name is one of the most powerful piece of messaging. It's also one of the
most ubiquitous components of any branding program. According to Al Ries, a
world renowned author and a marketing strategist: "Your name stands alone
on the internet, so you better have a good one." A research conducted by
the Japan Economic Times reveals that out of 139 marketing professionals, a
majority said that the brand name is the most important element in branding.
More important than the slogan and the logo. In this article, you will learn
the top 3 characteristics on how to create a compelling brand name.
Were you ever been caught in a situation where you have a
great business idea but you're clueless on where to start? You have a great
product or service, and you firmly believe that this will be the next big
thing. But then you ask yourself, "How shall I name my product?"
These are hurdles that hinder aspiring entrepreneurs to
transform their ideas to reality. Branding can be daunting task. And if not
done right, it can significantly tarnish your brand image. Creating a name with
the perfect fit is a challenge for most us. Choosing a name requires an
exhaustive research and usually consumes a lot of time. A brand name is one of
the most powerful piece of messaging. It's also one of the most ubiquitous
components of any branding program.
A research conducted by the Japan Economic Times reveals
that out of 139 marketing professionals, a majority said that the brand name is
the most important element in branding. More important than the slogan and the
logo. Moreover, According to Al Ries, a world-renowned author and a marketing
strategist:
"Your name stands alone on the internet, so you better
have a good one."
- Al Ries, The Law of Proper Name
Due to the complexity of the branding process, people come
up with their own strange ideas to cut the chase.
In Egypt, a couple named their firstborn daughter
"Facebook". They were inspired by the role Social Media in the Jan 25
2011 revolution in Cairo's Tahrir Square. The father, Jamal Ibrahim, was so
happy with Facebooks's role in organizing protests in Tahrir Square and the
nearby cities. He named his daughter "Facebook Jamal Ibrahim."
Filipinos on the other hand, are such creative lads. They
never run out of ideas. They can come up with a plethora of permutations
combining their children's first names. They always show off an uncanny output.
Examples are Rubylyn Bakeshop (names Ruby and Lyn combined) and Lilyma
Enterprises (Lily and Mario combined), just to name a few. In the eyes of the
owners, that's the best brand name ever created.
Though they were relieved from going through the tedious
branding process and avoided paying off the Branding expert's hefty fees, this
tactic is ephemeral. This may work locally, but will eventually falter when the
product reaches the international scene. So if you want to build a great brand,
don't name your dog Blackie. Don't just be creative, be smart. Always anticipate
that overtime, your brand will go global. It pays to be ready.
OK, let's get into it.
Here are the 3 characteristics of a great product name:
1. Limit your name to under 10 characters.
Using about 6-7 chars to a name is ideal. Of course, there
will be exceptions. This is not carved in stone. There are some great brands
that are longer that 10 chars. Like National Geographic, Harley- Davidson, and
Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf (CBTL). However, overtime these long brand names
discovered the benefits of using a shorter version of their names via
abbreviation or the use of acronyms. Network Solutions eventually bought
Netsol.com for ease of use. Ergo, if you can create a short name early on, the
better. Shorter names are ideal for so many reasons:
It's easy to remember,
Easy to type when people search in Google.
Easy logo placement in advertising mediums.
2. Remember "USSR" - Unique, Easy to Say,
Spell, and Remember
Unique
It's a noisy world. We are bombarded with more than 300
messages a day. How will you stand out from the sea of advertisements? One way
to be distinct is by combining root words like Facebook, Scotch Tape, Band-Aid,
Post-it, etc.
Portmanteau defined:
"Portmanteau is the combination of two or more words
into one word."
Some well-known brand name portmanteaus are Microsoft,
Groupon, and Amtrak. You can tweak and blend words like Netflix, Pinterest,
Kleenex, Tweeter, and Krispy Kreme. Use abstract names. The likes of Xerox,
Zipper, Jacuzzi, Velcro, Taser, and Kraft, these became big brand names. Avoid
using hyphens or prefixes like "my", "super" or
"the" then attaching the company name. Stick with root words whenever
possible. Cut the prepositions.
Easy to Say
It is easier to ask for a product, when you're at the shops,
if the name is easy to pronounce. For example, take Façonnable
(fa-SON-ah-bluh), the French apparel brand. This is challenge to pronounce and
difficult to remember.
Easy to Spell
You don't want to use the color Fuchsia as part your brand
name. No matter what I do, I can't spell this right. This will also complicate
your optimization efforts in Search Engines (SEO). More of this in another
article.
Easy to Remember
The most memorable way to name a brand is by using
alliterations.
Alliteration defined:
"Alliteration is the repetition of a sound in multiple
words."
Great examples are Johnson & Johnson, Gumgum. And we
have our share on this. Our very own Nognog - a famous brand of deep fried
crunchy corn during the 80's and 90's that's loved by everyone. This became a
staple in every drinking parties. Another of course is Tira-Tira. An elastic,
chewable candy made from sugar and coconut milk. This candy became every kid's
favorites because of its sweet taste and chewable nature. The Pinoy ingenuity
never fails to impress.
3. No negative connotations.
Here are some words, when translated to another language or
used in other forms, may connote a different meaning. So make sure you choose a
name that's not offensive to others.
Ex. P&G launched a new soap in the US named
"Dreck." "Dreck" sounded like a German word for dirt,
garbage, body waste and a four-letter expletive that cannot be published
elsewhere.
In Japan, automakers have marketed the Mazda Laputa. Unfortunately,
these brand name will not sell to Spanish-speaking countries where
"laputa" means "the prostitute."
Similarly, during the 1950s, there was a Swedish car
magazine named "Fart." "Fart" is a Swedish word meaning
"speed." Though is OK in Sweden, this would cause considerable
embarrassment when the magazine goes international.
You should also consider how people will relate to a name's
meaning. Pen Island, when used as a domain name (penisland.com), is not
acceptable and will be obscene to others.
In other words, naming your product doesn't have to be that
onerous after all. Just follow these simple guidelines, know your product, do a
little research and there you go. You can create a compelling brand name in a
breeze.
Jovel Cipriano is the creator of
http://www.Technopreneurtalks.com.
Jovel's 20 years of experience in the field of IT and Entrepreneurship is the
driving force behind all his successes. He is a sought after authority in the
fields of E-commerce, Sales, Internet Marketing, and Export. Jovel has received
numerous awards both from local and international organizations. He graduated
from the University of the Philippines with a double degree in Computer Science
and in Tourism. Jovel is a fitness enthusiast and enjoys active sports,
traveling, and exploring exotic local cuisines.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/8799224
