Why the strange words Make big brands

When you create a truly great company name, the number one consideration should be the level of "commitment".

"Engagement?" you ask incredulously.

Yes ... commitment.

While there are all types of strategies naming ... metaphors, acronyms, coined / invented, key attributes, positive connotations, etc., the only common denominator that separates the mediocre from the memorable, is the degree to which the name engages the mind of the consumer. Most new entrepreneurs opting for company names that inform and describe, leaving nothing to the imagination. Often fail to understand the context surrounding the name (the announcement, the sign shop, proposal, brochure copy, etc.) will define what they do, so the name can be free to describe how they do it. In other words, no customer will hear or see your name in a mental emptiness. Yet this is how often we judge names when "brainstorming". And that is why focus groups are such notoriously bad judges of good names. There are people who are flawed, is the process itself. Most of the feedback takes the form of free associations, all in an effort to determine whether a name is "good" or "bad". It goes something like this ...

Interviewer: "What do you think of the name Monster?"
Respondent: "Ew are scary and dangerous!"

Interviewer: "And Amazon?"
Respondent: "Jungle ... drowning ... snakes ... piranhas ..."

Interviewer: "Apple?"
Respondent: "One bad apple spoils the whole bunch."

Interviewer: "Caterpillar?"
Respondent: ". Squishy, ​​soft, and squirmy"

Interviewer to new business owner: "I think we can safely assume that these brands would be bad ..."

So, it's not a matter of free association, then what determines a good name? Also in this case, it is important that all the elements known as the "engagement". Engagement is what makes you lean forward, ask twice, to ask for more information and continue the conversation. A good name should invite a discussion, start a conversation and "engage" the other person's interest and attention. Amazon's why, even though it says nothing about what he does, it works better than Books-A-Million. Amazon is open and inviting and Books-A-Million is literal and descriptive. Amazon speaks to the process ... smooth, easy and plentiful. Books-A-Million speaks to the products ... books. And while Amazon leaves room for the company to grow into any number of directions, Books-A-Million is leaving the company in a blind alley. I once heard an ad for a company called Just Brakes. As they passed this narrow niche, have adopted a new tag line ... "We are more than just brakes."

Take another example. Linens and things is unnecessarily redundant because most people, after seeing a newspaper advertisement, or walk out of the window, will the company sells linens and things. It would be better to use the name to catch some really strategic position or advantage, or to evoke a feeling or an emotion. Linen and things best, fastest, biggest, most service-oriented, the more trendy? You just do not know. They described, but they have evoked. They explained, but are not engaged.

The objection I hear is routine ", but with names like these, nobody will know what I do!" And that is when I explain that trust is necessary ... confidence in the power of context to fill in the blanks. In this way the name is free to paint a picture, engage the senses and position the brand to reflect not what you do, but how you do.

So will any weird word work?

No.

Weird for weird's sake will only leave the customer scratching his head in bewilderment, indifference to pass. Bold, engaging names will create a desire to know more, and that's where you should be prepared to tell the story. The name then becomes a following of a larger story. It begins with the name and tagline and then continues to the: 15 second elevator speech and beyond.

One of our customers have named was TKO Surgical. When asked if this is a landmark of boxing, our client gives a resounding "yes," explaining that they have the mission to defend and fight for the needs of their customers. They'll champion their cause and remain in their corner until the bell rings last. Their tag line? "Technically Superior".

So, if a name is based on a metaphor, a key attribute, an acronym or a positive connotation, the overall objective is to create a name that is committed. Perhaps that is why Albert Einstein said that "Imagination is more important than knowledge." If given the choice to commit against information, choose a name that begs for more. It may seem strange, but the results can be wonderful .......