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Mud,
Inc. Goes Out of Business
By Todd Brashear
My wife and I have a running
joke. I take that back; technically, it’s more like a series of humorous
observations. Everywhere we go, we point out the incredibly bad brand names in
one particular industry, the most egregious offenders of all that is good and
right about branding. The fingernail industry.
Not the high-toned day spas
where manicures cost $50. I’m talking about the hole-in-the-wall places
crammed between Salmonella Burgers and Mediocre Cleaners. Look around, you’ll
find “Nail Focus,” “Nails, Etc.,” “Nails Now,”
“Nails R Us,” and “Glamour Nails.” There’s “Nice
Nails,” “Hard as Nails” and “Nails To Go.” (Really?
I can get them “to go?” I thought I’d just leave ‘em.)
Other than “horrible,”
all these names have one word in common. Which brings me to my all-time favorites:
“Nails, Nails, Nails” and the stylishly generic “Nails.”
Lucky for them, they can
get away with bad branding. They’re selling what is apparently perceived
as a commodity – no differentiation warranted. That’s not the case
in competitive technology industries. The success of your company and its products
can hinge largely on their names. With so much on the line, choosing a name can
be one of your most difficult business decisions. On the bright side, there are
a few ways to choose the name that suits you best.
First, seek professional
help. If you decide to create the name yourself, you might get lucky and hit the
nail on the head – so to speak. Odds are, however, a marketing firm or advertising
agency with an outside perspective and expertise in naming is probably better
equipped. They’ll begin with research, asking customers, prospects and even
your own employees how they perceive your company and its products versus your
competitors and their products. Then, they can develop a unique position and strategic
message to convey.
With the strategy in hand,
members of the firm’s creative team will retreat to their secret lair, stare
blankly at each other for hours, sprinkle some magic dust, sacrifice a few animals
and emerge with a list. Simple enough, right?
From there, the firm should
run a preliminary search for trademark registration and the availability of Web
addresses, particularly if you’re naming your company. Oftentimes, these
functions can eliminate as many as half of the names. That’s why you should
make sure your firm conducts these searches before you’ve had a chance to
fall in love with a name, only to have it trashed on a technicality.
Finally, after the marketing
firm has done its work, it’s your turn. Generally, the firm should present
between five and 10 choices, which includes the primary recommendation.
Of course, you’ll
judge the names based on personal preference – that’s natural. Some
won’t sound right to you, and those should be eliminated immediately. But
it’s equally important to measure them by the strategy, how well they communicate
your company’s brand. Ideally, the name will open the door to your 30-second
elevator speech, when you explain what you do and how you do it better than the
next company.
If a name is a foreign word,
the English translation should make sense in the context of the brand. I guarantee
you – people will ask what it means, so be prepared to explain its significance.
Likewise, if it’s English, make sure it doesn’t translate poorly to
the world’s most common languages.
If you’re naming a
new product, make certain your name has a similar style and tone as the other
names under your brand umbrella. Consistency is critical in conveying a brand
message. This is particularly challenging but even more critical when you have
multiple products or product families.
Most importantly, your new
name SHOULD NOT say what you do. It SHOULD say how you do it. Do that and you’ll
separate yourself from others in your category. Don’t and you’ll be
just another “Nails, Nails, Nails.”
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author: Todd Brashear
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