Common naming mistakes_update2007

Interbrand

Most Common

Naming Mistakes10

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Treating naming as an afterthoughtNo serious product manager would approach a new

product launch without a systematic and clearly

defined critical path for product and concept

development, package design, advertising, PR and

distribution. However, many take a very haphazard

approach to naming, which is one of the most

important elements of the brand proposition. This fails

to recognize that the name is actually the first act of

public branding and establishes an aspirational tone

for the product/service or company.

Starting the naming process too late and ignoring complextrademark and URL issues Finding an available trademark today can be very

difficult, since almost every word in the English

dictionary is taken. And if you want a global name, the

task can be even more challenging. Most companies

underestimate the necessary time needed and then

face a mad scramble when the product/service or

company is about to launch. This often results in

higher legal fees and sometimes settling for a second

choice name. Our naming consultants understand the

pitfalls of the registration process and have extensive

experience in developing names that are more

available from a trademark perspective. Working with

our legal partners to pre-screen names prior to

presenting them, we can ensure that valuable time is

not wasted pursuing clearly unavailable marks. Very

often, potential names are abandoned when

corresponding URLs seem taken. What at first appears

unattainable is very often available for purchase. It is

possible to negotiate for domain names by asking

legal counsel to make initial inquiries; and of course,

they often help to close the deal.

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Keeping a brand name that is no longer relevant because youare afraid to alienate its current user base This is often a very shortsighted approach.

Companies should research the fit and stretch of

current brand names against longer-term objectives.

If there is a logical reason to change the name, they

should consider migration strategies to smooth the

transition from old to new.

Ignoring that naming is not onlycreative, but also strategic; falling into the “descriptive” trapby focusing on functionalattributes, which can be limiting as the brand promise evolvesOften, companies don’t spend enough time defining

and agreeing on the strategic role of the name.

Our unique Destination Branding™ approach can

help you analyze the market, identify opportunities

for differentiation and set the appropriate strategic

naming objectives. In today’s highly competitive

environment, the strongest brands are the ones that

transcend the physical attributes of a product/service,

or organization to form an emotional connection with

the consumer. Destination Branding™ considers the

real customer benefits of an offering and envisions the

brand stretch. This enables you to create names that

can help take brands further, set an aspirational target

and remain flexible for the future. As a result, these

“Destination” brand names have the advantage of

being more readily available from a trademark

perspective since they go beyond the common

category descriptors into fresher territory. Also, since

“Destination” brand names strive to define and own

the category inspirational benefits, they help de-

position the competition.

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Falling into the subjectivity trapand failing to get key targetaudience feedback as part of thenaming decision-making processNaming can be very subjective. Think about choosing

a first name for your kids. Have you ever turned down

a suggestion of a perfectly good name because it

reminded you of someone you personally knew?

Perhaps, that bully from second grade? Our

Nometrics® research methodology helps you get

impartial feedback from the people who are ultimately

going to determine the success of the product or

service…the target audience. Nometrics® provides

directional insight in the name decision-making

process by identifying which names are appealing and

appropriate and by weeding out any unanticipated

negative reactions.

Overlooking the global implications of names We all have heard of the infamous example of an

American car manufacturer that launched its “Nova”

model in Latin America. The name had an unfortunate

reception, since “Nova” means “doesn’t go/doesn’t

work” in Spanish. In today’s global economy, a

thorough global linguistic evaluation is a must. Even if

the product or service is not intended for international

sale, the Internet has changed the notion of global

commerce. A product sold on the Internet in New

Jersey can pop up in an on-line search done by a

potential consumer in Japan. Even when marketing to

the U.S. only, it is important to keep in mind the rich

cultural diversity of the American people. Our Lang-

Gauge™ linguistic evaluation reviews names in

almost any language for negative associations and

pronunciation difficulties, helping to prevent potential

future disasters.

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Poor internal communication tocreate critical support of a newbrand nameVery often, great names fail because of low

understanding and acceptance among its key

stakeholders. What makes a name successful are

the employees who actively and enthusiastically

engage in delivering the unique brand promise that

the name communicates. Through our NameRally

process, we enable you to better manage the

launch of a new name. The goal is to effectively

use internal communications to raise employee

morale and excitement about the name, by building

awareness, generating acceptance and sustaining

commitment. In this way, you enable employees to

better understand the brand promise and create a

“rallying call” for success.

Ending verbal communication of a brand with its nameThe fact is that verbal brand identity goes beyond

naming. An average brand becomes a great brand by

consistently communicating its essence; this is the key

ingredient for world-class performance. The world’s

most famous brands, such as Apple and Nike, clearly

demonstrate this every day. It is not a coincidence

that a brand has decided to “think different” or to

“just do it.” Verbal identity is the way a brand

communicates through the words and sounds. When

creating a new name, we are also able to develop the

appropriate words to express the brand, creating a

distinctive language to speak for it. This encompasses

a whole range of verbal expressions, from taglines to

words used on signs, packaging, trade stories,

corporate mission statements or websites. Through

guidelines and workshops we can help you choose

words that truly represent your brand’s values.

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Not every new product, service, or corporate division needs a new name Often, companies overlook the benefits of one strong

umbrella brand name and descriptive names for

products and services. Managers often face the

complex decisions of brand architecture: should you

create a new brand? If not, which of your existing

brands is appropriate to house the new offering?

What is the ideal relationship between the main brand

and the new sub-brand? What is the most impactful

naming strategy for line extensions and flankers?

Through a well-thought-out strategy, our goal is to

help you organize the breadth and depth of your

offerings. A strong brand architecture enables

customers and consumers to identify and define the

relationship between brands. This leads to increased

efficiency and a clearer idea of the offerings from your

target audience’s perspective. In addition to organizing

the brands through naming architecture and systems,

we also develop naming guidelines and decision-

making trees. These can be codified into a user-

friendly online tool through our NamingWizard

technology to help in the creation and ongoing

management of trademarks – valuable brand assets.

Naming can appear deceptively easy But in fact, it is a very challenging discipline that is

most effectively performed by a specialist. Many

managers come to naming consultants after having

tried unsuccessfully to name the product/service, or

company in-house – often after considerable

expenditure of time, effort and money, and with no

agreed upon or available names to show for it. Getting

a specialist involved from the outset is critical for the

successful completion of a naming project. The

expertise of a naming consultant, along with a well-

represented project team made up of experienced

marketing and key executive decision makers, will lead

to the creation of a powerful brand name.

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A name you’d rememberFor clients such as Heinz, IBM and Aramark, Interbrand Naming

has created some of the most revered product, service, and

corporate names in the industry. Here are just a few examples

of some of our world-class names:

Slice (Pepsi), Expedia.com, Ten (Tanqueray)Xterra (Nissan), Mach3 (Gillette), AramarkMy Generation (AARP), Prozac (Eli Lilly), EZ Squirt (Heinz)Providian, Imation (3M), Aptiva (IBM)Snackwell’s (Nabisco), beComing Products (Avon), Finesse (Helene Curtis)Orbitz, Delphi, Presario (Compaq)

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Interbrand has been creating brand names since1974. As the world’s preeminent branding consultancy with 34 offices in more than 20 countries around the globe, Interbrand sets the standard in naming practices, helping clients to create and manage their most valuable assets...their brands.

If you want to discuss how to create powerfulnames for your product/service or company, contact us at [email protected].

© Interbrand 2007

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Common naming mistakes_update2007