When we were creating the pan-European brand my initial concerns regarding he issues we were going to face on a very practical level about that we had a name that was pronounceable from Spain to Russia that didn’t cause offence that wasn’t used by a competitor and didn’t have anything similar to a competitor, so from a very practical perspective, in actual fact the project started to unfold, one of the main issues was to make sure we took people with us, and so that they felt part of the process so that was interesting and unexpected.
Marketing Director Office Papers - Antalis
When I first walked through the door and met with the team at Brand Architects, I was expecting that I needed to have a new name – and today one year on, I realise that was the least of my worries. The name was almost unimportant in this process; it was understanding the positioning of our business; the definition of our business; and the vision of where we wanted to go, and how the brand would align with that – and the name became obvious, once we’d got to the end: but to tell me that at the beginning… I actually didn’t believe it.
Senior Vice President, Ovivo
Brand Naming
Though naming plays a significant part in the expression and recognition of organisational change, we firmly believe it is only one part of the branding process; a name may come to embody a brand, but it can never be the sole and full expression of it – a name becomes meaningful through the supportive work of straplines, visual language and overall positioning. We encourage our clients to think of naming in the wider context of Organisational Brand AlignmentTM and by so doing dramatically enhance the benefits to their organisation.
However, we also appreciate that there are circumstances where the name is the key issue, and we employ our ‘perfect fit’ process to create names that are perfectly suited to their purpose – 100% right, first time, every time.
We provide naming services for: New Product Development (NPD), complex service propositions, organisations, complex brand architectures and brand portfolios, joint ventures, new ventures, and mergers and acquisitions.
Where timing is critical and a new name has to be delivered quickly, we also offer fast-to-market naming – without compromising the creative, legal or linguistic elements of name creation.
Whether conducted as part of our wider Organisational Brand Alignment process or as an independent service, our robust model is initiated by a workshop where all details of the product, service, or organisation are discussed.
Stage 1:
Firstly, it is important we establish the naming strategy: the project’s objectives and scope. At this stage, we would identify the role of the name, what it should say and how it should say it. This forms the brief for the new name, as well as defining its style and structure. These objectives are referred to throughout the process, ensuring the names created and selected have perfect fit with the initial objectives.
Stage 2:
A range of naming styles are explored around the key themes from the workshop: associative, alphanumeric, patronym names, adapted, dictionary, palindromes, acronyms and invented. These are then sifted, rationalised, and presented for client feedback. The names selected are reviewed, and a short list created. These are assessed by linguistic experts to check that they can be pronounced and do not have any negative associations, before a final shortlist is created for the client. These are presented in a structured process where the meaning behind the name and what it represents can be debated openly without bias, ensuring total objectivity when it comes to making the final decision.
Stage 3:
Creative exploration and refinement follows; this is the major stage of name development, and we ensure it is thoroughly backed with legal and linguistic checks at every stage. Trade marking ensures that the new name is both protected and unique. Linguistic screening checks that the name’s written and verbal associations and connotations across all major European languages, as well as hundreds of obscure and little known dialects, ensuring the name selected is suitable for international use and future expansion opportunities. These stages give you the security to build value into a globally defensible name without having to change it at a later stage for either cultural or legal reasons.
Stage 4:
Selection, articulation and internal research complete the process. Our pragmatic, flexible naming process is robust, anchoring the name firmly around the business objectives. Because it is also essential that the name evokes emotional attachment, we make the resonance of a name a core part of the process. Through this process we develop a name that has significance for both internal and external audiences as well as embodying the business vision.
Many of our clients come to us after a frustrating period of trying to create a name themselves. We offer a proven methodology that takes the subjectivity out of the process while also ensuring that the name is vibrant and fits its purpose exactly.
Once the name is selected, we discuss the legal options available to protect the name and the equity it represents.
Our commitment is to find a name that perfectly fits the business objectives and marketplace.
Publications we are currently reading
Ries, A., Ries, L., 2003. The 22 Immutable Laws of Branding. London: Profile Books Ltd.
Rivkin, S., Sutherland, F., 2004. The Making of a Name: The Inside Story of the Brands We Buy. New York: Oxford University Press.
