Why you need to think about naming as a marketing strategy - not just a clever word.

1. Secrets of strategic naming
Amanda C. Peterson
Brand strategist & geek

2. “I want a _______ name.”

3. It’s not about you.

4. Your name is the way you help
others understand who you are.

5. It’s for the audience
OK, but what is it?
What does it do?
What’s the difference?
Why on earth would I want it?
Why is it in my data center / kitchen
shopping cart / sales invoice?

6. A name is more than a combination of letters.

7. What does a name really do?

8. A name isn’t a brand – but it is a mental bookmark for the brand.

9. Infinity =

10. Dove =

11. Names help a customer understand who it’s for and what they can expect.
But it gets meaning from all the other elements aligning to the promise.
So, what are we really able to promise?

12. No strategy is worse than bad strategy.

13. Target
market
insight
Who are we talking to?
What do they want?
Unique
value
proposition
What do we offer?
What can we deliver?
How are we different
from the competition?
What we
will never
be
Who are we *not* for?
What will we never do?
What needs don’t we
meet?
Positioning

14. A name can only do one or two things.
Names rarely live out of context.
Names shouldn’t change – but sales pitches and copy can.
The product should ALWAYS be cooler than the name on it.

15. Relationship
to the
master
brand
How descriptive is the
name?
How will the master brand
appear?
Name
attributes
What kind of conversation
are we having with the
customer?
What part of the story does
the name need to tell?
How unique
are we?
Who are we like?
Who are we different from?
How will we invest to tell the
story?
Naming
strategy

16. Naming, even with expensive experts, is the cheapest part of a new name.

17. How much money, time and effort will it take it build that mental
bookmark?

18. Type of name Descriptive Suggestive Abstract
Examples
Bed Bath & Beyond
NetFlix
jetBlue
Fidelity
Swiffer
Xerox
What it does Describes what it is or does
Suggests a benefit or
experience
Arbitrary
Words it uses Real words Real words or slight tweaks
Unconnected real words or
coined words
Connection to brand
Relies on the master brand for
distinctiveness
Creates some distinctiveness –
and distance from what the
master brand stands for
Demands ongoing, heavy
investment – and disconnects
from the master brand
Clarity
Requires little to no
explanation
Requires explanation
Requires long term investment in
explanation
Legal issues Easy to use, hard to protect
Harder to use, some
protection
Difficult to clear, can be more
protected
Strategy
Investment in strengthening
the master brand
Investment in stretching the
master brand
Investment in the term above all
else

19. “Consumers are enthusiastic about adopting new
product innovations but somewhat apprehensive
about embracing new brands. In order for
consumers to adopt new brands, marketers need
to launch very strong awareness and trial-building
campaigns, supported by a positive product
experience.”
60%Of global consumers with Internet access
prefer to buy new products from a
familiar brand
rather than switch to a new brand
Nielsen Global Survey of New Product Purchase Sentiment –
January 2013

20. “But we need something cool!”

21. Having to build a new brand isn’t cool.
You know what’s cool?
Having a brand to build more into is cool.

22. Use just as many brands as you need to tell the story

23. A brand-distant name is not a reward.

24. You can’t just sit with the master brand.

25. How
much
people
pay
attention
to your
master
brand
Style determines perceived distance
+
- +
Purely descriptive name
Totally unexpected name
-
How unique your product name is
Suggestive of the category space

26. When should we develop a new brand?
• You’ve got a new, clear, specific
promise to a well-defined target
audience for your brand
• That isn’t easily described
• With enough products to give
that promise meaning
• With design, features,
distribution, pricing, availability,
marketing and usability to live
up to that promise
• The target audience is critical
to the business – and is not
currently loyal
• The marketing budget is
established and large enough
to make a dent
• You are going to be able to
stay in the market long enough
to build up recognition
• …Long enough to build
meaning with the customers
(long after internal folks and
investors get “bored”)

27. There is no such thing as the perfect name.

28. The devil has more advocate than angels…
…until you succeed.

29. Establishing criteria is critical
The least important criteria in naming is whether you like it
• Does it help with navigation and understanding?
• Does it tell your story?
• Does it speak to your target audience?
• Is it memorable?
• Does it do something your master brand doesn’t?
• Are you sure it doesn’t mean something awful in a language where you might
do business?
• Is it legally available?

30. A non-scientific chart
Clarity and availability
Useable
Intuitive Abstract
A descriptive name
A “cool” name that
clearly evokes the
category.
So cool everyone else
already registered it.
A name so
unclear,
obscure or
vague that no
one wants it.
Unavailable

31. Naming strategy is trademark strategy is brand strategy is business strategy.

32. You’re only as clever as your lawyer is good.
Naming and trademark are one team
It’s a risky world. If you’re going to name an omelet, an egg might get
cracked and sue you.
Legal advises. You make the final decision.
• Who else is using it? And how much do they sue people?
• How similar to us are they?
• Are they in the same international class of goods? The same category? Would a customer
get confused?
• What impact would it have on our business, our reputation, our stock, our
marketing, our PR if we had to cease & desist?
• What impact would it have if there was a lawsuit?
• How rich does your company look to trademark trolls?

33. No name will make everyone happy.
There is no such thing as a perfect name.
And even the perfect name is the wrong name if it makes you late to take
advantage of the opportunity.
At some point, you have to hold your breath and jump into the void.

34. Happy naming.
May the trademarks be forever in your favor.
“Leap and a net will find you.” – Sally Hogshead