EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO THINK ABOUT WHEN NAMING YOUR BRAND

Written By David Paleschuck, MBA, CLS | Author & Cannabis Brand Expert

It’s a curious thing that a mere brand name can persuade us to engage emotionally with a product or company. Sometimes, we even develop an unwitting loyalty or long-lasting aversion to a brand, though we might know little about it. How is this possible? The old Shakespearian adage would have us believe that “a rose by any other name would smell as sweet” – but how does this really play out in the world of brand names?

Naming is a complex, messy blend of science and art, a fusion of unstructured creativity and meticulous logic. The idea phase is elaborate in which inspiration comes from abstract concepts – topical themes, sounds, different languages and more, and literally hundreds of names can be generated for each project. But if creating names can be challenging, selecting one name from many is even more so.

Does A Brand Name Matter?

Since most companies start small with the emphasis on the idea for the product or service rather than the brand, the name arises as an afterthought. There is a strong likelihood that the name will be chosen on emotive grounds rather than on solid scientific research. Since every company needs a name and because one name is just as good as another, why not pluck it out of the air? And often it is.

Choosing a brand name is an important and intensive exercise. Anyone who has named or created a brand can attest to it; and most likely has gone through a process similar to the following:

• Is it a name that will last?

• Is it a name that is too trendy or fashionable?

• Will it fit the company’s personality?

• Does it have 'the right' connotations?

• Does it produce an acceptable acronym?

• Is it a name that will be appropriate in all stages of life?

• Is it easy for everyone to pronounce?

• Will it be remembered?

• Will the name get shortened or altered to one that is acceptable?

Considerations Arising From Brand Name Research

Some criteria raised in brand name research as factors which affect the recall and recognition of brands are as follows:

• Brand names should be simple so that they are easy to understand, pronounce and spell. Two words in the name should be considered the maximum.

• Brand names should be vivid in imagery so that the mnemonics present strong memory cues.

• Brand names should be familiar sounding so that much of the information to which the name relates is already stored in the mind.

• Brand names should be distinctive so that the word attracts attention and does not become confused with other brands.

These guidelines are not necessarily mutually compatible as it may be difficult to find names that are simple, vivid in imagery, familiar and distinctive. There is some evidence to suggest that if the mind has to work harder to understand and recognize the name, it will be more likely to be retained in the longer-lasting memory than a familiar name that fails to become lodged. Familiar words may facilitate brand recall but distinctive words work better at building brand recognition. An example of this in the cannabis space is the brand Avitas. Strangely familiar, this is Sativa spelled backward.

“There is evidence to suggest that if the mind has to work harder to understand and recognize the name, it will be more likely to be retained in the longer-lasting memory than a familiar name that fails to become lodged.”

- L.J. Shrum, Researcher: Phonetic Symbolism

Different Types of Names

Company names can be classified into broad categories including:

• Acronym: Abbreviations and/or made up of initials such, as UPS or IBM.

• Descriptive: Describing a product benefit or function, such as Whole Foods.

• Alliteration & Rhyme: Fun to say; sticks in the mind, such as Dunkin' Donuts.

• Evocative: Conjuring a relevant vivid image or thought, such as Patagonia and Virgin.

• Neologisms: Made-up words, such as Wii and Häagen-Dazs.

• Foreign Word: Use of a word from another language, such as Volvo and Samsung.

• Founders' Names: Examples include Hewlett-Packard, Chanel and Disney.

• Geography: Named for regions and/or landmarks, such as Cisco and Fuji Film.

• Personification: Person-based, such as Uncle Ben’s and Betty Crocker.

• Punny: Using a pun, such as “Lord of the Fries”, “Wok On Water” and “Eggscetera”.

• Combination: Combining multiple words such as Microsoft and FedEx.

• Myth: Myth-based, such as Nike and Mercury.

Linguists are often consulted to brainstorm appropriate names for brands, products and companies. Indeed, there are a number of popular linguistic devices that can be used to form effective brand names, such as the phonetic alliteration in Coca-Cola or the morphological elements in Craftmatic or semantic allusions in a brand name like Nike.

Semantic metaphors conveying visible, easy to understand meanings ensure that iconic brand names like Apple and Jaguar continue to be popular. But even brand names built on solid naming principles can fail. It turns out that the mere letters and sounds used in a brand name can have a curious impact on its reception by the public, persuading us into developing an emotional bond with the product.

Based on studies of popular brand names and experiments involving made up brand names, linguists and psychologists have found some interesting patterns which, if followed to the letter, so to speak, may well have an impact on future trends in branding.

A 2007 study by Tina M. Lowrey and L. J. Shrum on phonetic symbolism and brand names suggests that consonants and vowels in themselves can convey symbolic meaning, with certain sounds being more positive and others more negative in emphasizing certain properties and characteristics of a product.

Other Variables In Branding

A reality of today's digital world also means that domain availability can be a crucial deciding factor. There are over 220 million domain names registered worldwide, and some experts believe that over 99.9% of the dictionary is registered as a domain name.

The process is especially challenging because there are more than 24 million businesses in the United States. U.S. trademark law protects business names, so when you find one you like, make sure you can use it. If you infringe on a copyright, you could be forced to abandon your new business name after investing a lot of time and money in it.

Protect Your Brand Name

It’s important to protect your name to the appropriate degree. If you choose a name that infringes on another company’s copyright, you could receive a cease-and-desist letter and have to go to court and/or change your name after months or even years of use.

Some experts believe that the best names are abstract, a blank slate upon which to create an image. Others think that names should be informative so customers know immediately what your business is. Some believe that coined names (that come from made-up words) are more memorable than names that use real words. Others think they're forgettable.

In reality, any name can be effective if it's backed by the appropriate marketing strategy. Here's what you'll need to consider in giving your brand the most appropriate and effective name.

From both a marketing and legal standpoint, it’s important to develop brand names that are both distinctive and protectable. Incorporating overused terms can lead to brand confusion, and it certainly won’t make your product or company stand out.

The industry is riddled with “canna” brands such as: Cannacare, Cannabis Culture, Cannabis Now, Cannabis Times, etc. Similarly, brands with “420” or “green” as the dominant component are prevalent – and hard to protect. Keep in mind that United States trademark & copyright law protects names for the benefit of consumers – a trademark, therefore, is not (necessarily) owned by the first to use it.

The legal standard for a protectable “name” is something that distinguishes your product from your competitors by communicating to a relevant consumer, a unique source for the product at issue. It could be a word, symbol, slogan, design element, logo or even a non-traditional mark such as color, texture, sound or motion. But the actual name is still important.

Conclusion

As momentum for marijuana legalization grows nationally, the commercialization of cannabis is no longer a pipe dream. In fact, it could become a reality sooner rather than later, providing companies with the opportunity to build an enduring national perhaps global. In order to accomplish this, brand owners must give considerable thought to the names they choose for their businesses and products.

From a marketing perspective, your brand should not only incorporate a name that a customer can remember and distinguish from competing companies and products. Your brand is much more than a name; it is also shorthand for your identity in the marketplace. If your brand name sounds too much like another company’s, the goodwill you build up diffuses to anybody with a name like yours.