Naming - What's in it. Why it's hard. What to do about it. (2/3)
As promised here we are with the second part of the three part series on the issue of Naming in branding. If you've not seen the first, you can read it here (part 1/3).
If you've already read that, then please read on.
If you just got back from the other article, welcome back. You may now proceed. :)
How hard can it be?
Naming seems like a fairly straight forward issue - do some blue sky thinking, flex some creative muscles and pick something that "feels" right. Right?
Well, not so fast. There are lots of things that can go wrong, I'll try and cover a few hurdles that I've faced. This is definitely not the most exhaustive guide, but the hope is the next time you are at it, you are a little more prepared.
So let's get to it!
It's SUPER subjective
One of the hardest things to do while going through a Naming exercise is to remain objective about the names themselves. We all know very well going in, the name needs to meet certain objective criteria from relevance to the offering and brand, difference from the category, correctness of the messaging etc. But it seems virtually impossible in the room to not have knee-jerk reactions and infer suitability and meaning to the name basis our personal experiences and biases.
There is definitely a place at the table for instinct, in fact I welcome it. But it remains equally important to remember not to let just instinct dictate the decision. We always openly discuss our instinctive reactions and then do the over-night test / live with it for a few days before reconvening for a more structured discussion. (sounds easy? it isn't.)
The need - want confusion.
There is always going to be a predisposition to want a certain kind of name for our brand. We set out liking types of naming conventions and then rationally justify them as either being easier, more memorable, cooler, modern or matter of factly just "right for our business". But, if we are being honest with ourselves, we don't necessarily need it, we want a name like that based on our personal experiences and preferences.
"You don't need a name like Uber, you sell wet wipes for babies!"
Nothing wrong with it again, but if we want what is right for the brand and business (we know, we do.), then the best thing to do is keep an open mind. Give in to the process, both you and your brand will not be disappointed. 🙂
The trend train, it comes and goes...
But hopefully your name is here to stay.
It's good to be relevant, modern, contemporary etc. but keep an eye out for the future. The best names seem timeless, relevant now as they were when first coined. Periodically there will be trends in naming, some dominant in a category others rather agnostic.
The early 1900s the founder's name dominated, then came locations either for the country of origin effect or the actual location of origin of the business.... and so on.
Lately (largely triggered by the lack of availability of trademarks and dot coms), there has been a strong trend of "Invented names", from portmanteaus and misspellings to outright gibberish.
Whether or not you choose to ride the trend train, think first on the strategic foundations, the objectives you've set out for yourself. Think whats good for your brand, category and most importantly your audience. Maybe, you'll start a trend. Who can say!
You'll need a lot of heart
When undergoing a Naming exercise you will find a lot of reactions. I welcome them all, except for one. "It works."
If nobody has a problem with the name, then it's most likely a really boring, safe and uninspiring one. On the other hand, one that sparks debate, intrigues people and gets them to think of campaigns at best or email intros at worst, then consider yourself lucky. You've probably got a kick-ass name in the list.
It takes a brave leader to go for such a name. Not just for established brands headed for a renaming, but also for start-ups trying to break a category convention in naming. It takes heart. (A slight wobble and the internet will pounce on you like a hungry cougar!)
Quick note, there is a lot of temptation (possibly pressure) for an existing brand to stick to the name they've got. But, every time the temptation strikes, think about the reason you decided to do a rebrand in the first place, those reasons have still not gone.
There is no fun in loving what you can't have.
There are 370 million domains registered across all TLDs with 3.3 million added just in the second quarter of 2020 (1).
That's an insane amount of domains! Yeah!
The thing is, anyone can quite cheaply acquire a domain and many do. Either as a personal project they haven't started for 10 years (I have 6!) or are hoping someone with big bucks really likes it and they can make some money (called 'squatting' - I have 2).
Either way, there are two things to keep in mind. Just because a domain isn't available, doesn't mean the trademark is also gone. Second, consider whether you need a dot com. There are many new options out there which might work for you (sometimes better). Plus there is search and your email signatures amongst other things which can get visitors to your website. So if coffee.com isn't available and you LOVE coffee, try coffeeforlife.com (who even types domain names anymore?)
Lastly, let's just hope the name you love is available for trademark, you only need to clear conflicts in your business category. As an example, if your business sells super comfortable stuffed miniature polar bears - go right ahead and call yourself Microsoft. (do check with your legal once).
It takes time.
I cannot say this enough. I cannot make it more dramatic than 3 words and a full stop.
Not for the least the above reasons I've mentioned, Naming is a long and difficult process. Yes, sometimes you stumble upon one that blows everyone's mind, looks great, sounds great and is available.
But just to be doubly sure that you do not tear your arms out or worse choose a bad name in haste, do not set yourself stiff timelines that will only add pressure and nothing else. Naming is a really creative and fun project, a badly planned Gantt chart is a sure-shot way of getting night sweats. (Yikes!)
Sorry for what is to follow, it might add to the confusion. But I never claimed clarity as a part of my deliverable here.
Just a fair warning among warnings---Naming can also become a never ending loop, especially if there is too many people involved in the process. Give your self a fair but finite amount of time. What's the right amount? No clue, it depends.
Up next...
What to do about it?
Here is hoping that we are now sufficiently aware of what to look out for, confused and unsure of ever wanting to do a naming project, ever again. Next I will try and put down some thoughts on some good practices that I've found valuable.
Till then. Stay sane. 🙂