145 Reading: Name Selection
What’s in a (Brand) Name?
A brand identifies a company, product, or service as distinct from the competition. The brand is comprised of all the things that create this identity. A brand’s name is an essential part of the package. A brand name may be a product name (like Windows or Gmail), or it may be the name under which the entire organization operates (like Microsoft or Google). Because the name is so central to identity, naming a brand is an integral part of creating the brand’s reputation, development, and future success.
To some extent, a brand name amounts to whatever an organization makes of it: this is the genius of brand building and marketing strategy. Unlikely names have, on occasion, become powerhouse brands, and well-named brands have fizzled out. Naming is important because an ill-conceived or poorly chosen name can torpedo an organization’s chances. At the same time, a great name alone isn’t enough to guarantee success.
Naming a Brand
Selecting a brand name is one of the most important product decisions a seller makes. A brand name reflects the overall product image, positioning, and, ideally, its benefits. A successful brand name can enable a product to be meaningfully advertised and distinguished from competitors; tracked down by consumers; and given legal protection. At its best, a brand can provide a carryover effect when customers are able to associate quality products with an established brand name. Attention to naming also helps customers associate products within the same brand family. For example, Apple names its mobile products with a lowercase i—for example, iPad, iPod, iPhone. Starbucks names its coffee sizes in Italian.
Remember that legally protectable brand names are mandatory if an organization plans to produce mass advertising for its product or service. Once an organization starts using a new brand name, it may encounter other organizations’ claims to own the rights to that name and threaten legal action. To avoid the risks and potential expense associated with legal challenges to a brand name, it is important to use a thorough, systematic process for selecting a brand name.
Selecting a Naming Strategy
Before you start brainstorming new brand names and registering domain names, the company should evaluate which naming/branding policy to pursue the new offering and choose one of the following three viable options. This process helps determine whether you even need a new brand name.
- Strategy 1: Own Brand. A strict branding policy under which a company only produces products and services using its own brand. In this scenario, you need a new brand name.
- Strategy 2: Private-Label Brand. An exclusive distributor’s brand policy in which a producer does not have a brand of his own but agrees to sell his products only to a particular distributor and carry that distributor’s brand name (typically employed by private brands). In this scenario, the new offering will carry the distributor’s bra