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10 Most

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 Interbrand | Pg. 1

10 Most Common Naming Mistakes

By Paola Norambuena

A name is important. Think about it: 1. Treating naming as 2. Forgetting that naming
What would we do if we didn’t have them? an afterthought is as strategic as it is creative
How much harder would it be to navigate
our world? The launch of a company or a new product Companies often don’t spend enough
needs a systematic and clearly defined time defining—and agreeing on—the
And for brands, names are critical because path—from concept development strategic role of a name. But a name is
a name helps customers make the best through to implementation. But if naming rarely great simply because it’s different
choice they can. It’s a shortcut to a good isn’t solved early in the process, it usually or creative. A truly great name is one that
decision. And this decision is where results in a mad—and costly—scramble. sets you apart, that clearly captures what
awareness, choice, and loyalty live. you promise, and helps people choose you
Naming is a far more complex process every time.
A name helps establish the tone for a than most people imagine. Great,
product, service, or company. It acts as creative names are only the beginning
Real equity exists when the name
the primary handle for a brand. It’s a recall of the journey, with many legal and
and the experience become one.
and recognition device, it communicates linguistic hurdles that follow—hurdles
desired attributes or specific benefits, that often mean the name you thought
and, through time and consistent use, was great is not available or may not In today’s highly competitive environment,
it becomes a valuable asset and translate globally. the strongest brands are ones that
intellectual property. transcend the physical attributes of a
Start the naming process early in the product, service, or company to form
development phase. Outline the critical emotional connections with customers.
Naming is as much an art
milestones and build your timing around Names can help do this. If you set out
as it is a science.
these. While legally cleared names can clear strategic objectives, you’ll find they
be used as early as a month into the will give you clear criteria by which to
Unfortunately, many organizations take trademark process, full trademarks can measure and choose a name. Take into
a very haphazard approach to naming, take anywhere from 12 to 18 months account what the name needs to do
often omitting crucial steps that end up in the U.S. and differs from country to today, as well as how it can continue to
making the naming process longer, more country. And that’s after you’ve decided meet business objectives in the future.
arduous—and more expensive. on a name.
Remember, naming is as much an art as it
Outlined below, we explore some of the However, if your timing is extremely tight, is a science. Your brand strategy will help
most common mistakes made when call in the professionals. They will make you create a name that is relevant—and
creating or choosing a name, and some sure you have a name you love and that one that has stretch and flexibility as your
tips on how to avoid them. you can own. business, and the market, evolves.
 Interbrand | Pg. 2

3. Underestimating the But real word names aren’t always the challenges, weave trademark prescreening
importance of a good answer, especially as a brand evolves and throughout the creative process, it can
creative brief takes on new meaning. It’s important to help identify areas to avoid so that your
define the role the name needs to play— creative team can keep searching for the
Even after clear strategic criteria have been whether it’s to describe a function, signal right, legally viable name.
established for a name, many companies a departure from where the company is
underestimate the value of a focused, today, or to position something new and Don’t leave legal until the end of the
detailed creative brief. For the creative different. naming process, and don’t assume
team, however—whether it be an internal that a generic term can simply be
team or an external agency—it’s an used because it’s common or is not
A name is rarely great simply
invaluable tool. immediately associated with your product.
because it’s different or creative.
Prescreening prevents you from wasting
A great name is one that clearly
While a creative brief will contain much valuable time and money deciding on
communicates the positioning
of the same information as the brand (and falling in love with) names that aren’t
and personality of the brand.
strategy, a great naming brief gets available for use.
specific—highlighting what elements
of the strategy (or attributes) should be Names don’t have to be coined or abstract 6. Ignoring global implications
communicated in the name and setting to differentiate, just as they don’t have to
clear parameters for the approach involve real words in order to connect with Every company wants to avoid linguistic
and construct. people. Neither approach is right or wrong. disasters. We’ve all heard the many
Strong brands and mindshare can be built stories (or myths) around names that
on both. Think of names like The Container fail the transition across borders—like
For brands, names are critical
Store or Bed Bath & Beyond versus names the Chevy Nova, which could be read as,
because a name helps customers
like Target or IKEA. All successful brands, “doesn’t go” in Spanish, or Kraft’s coining
make the best choice they can.
each with a different naming approach. of Mondelez, which supposedly contains a
It’s a shortcut to a good decision.
sound that, in Russian, has vulgar/sexual
Spend time deciding on the best approach connotations.
As you pull together a brief, you’ll find for your organization, and don’t always
that the process forces you to answer settle for safe. It’s the difference between Yet it’s surprising how many global
very specific questions for the creatives creating a name that is easy to remember brands continue to launch names that are
who will ultimately use it. It crystallizes versus a name that’s hard to forget. inappropriate in other cultures (or even
the white space in the competitive our own richly diverse one) by ignoring the
landscape, narrows in on personality, 5. Overlooking complex rigor of a linguistic disaster check.
tonality, word types, and constructs, trademark issues
as well as areas to avoid. In today’s global economy, a thorough
One of the most underestimated global linguistic evaluation is a must. With
Your creative brief then becomes the lens challenges in naming is the highly complex greater access to information, more and
by which you assess and choose names trademark process. Keep in mind that more people can pick up on issues—and
that are on-brand and do what you need there are over 28 million active trademarks talk about them. In this day and age, even
them to in the marketplace. globally. And there are also more than 200 when it’s local, it’s global.
million URLs registered globally—a number
4. Confusing the need for that continues to grow, especially with the Check names with native, in-country
information with the need for advent of gTLDs (top level domains). linguists. Idioms, slang, and cultural
differentiation associations vary from country to
Then consider that there are (arguably) country—even if the same language is
When choosing a name, companies only some 250,000 words in the English spoken. This way, you make sure your
often push for real word (as opposed to language—and not all of these words are name says only what you intend it to say.
made up) names or descriptive names. useable as a brand name. In fact, almost
This is based on the belief that such names every word in every major language 7. Thinking everything needs
are easier to sell and require less of a has been trademarked. This means that a name
marketing investment. Companies might someone, somewhere, owns the name
think that the more overt the name, the you want, and it could be in use just As organizations expand and grow, there
more likely it is to be understood—and about anywhere, even in some small, are more and more opportunities for the
ultimately purchased—by customers. random app. launch of new products and services—and
Or they might choose real word names the need to name them: new products,
simply because they seem safe, less Securing viable trademarks is becoming innovations, technologies, ideas, and
uncomfortable, less risky. increasingly difficult—but definitely acquisitions.
not impossible. To overcome legal
 Interbrand | Pg. 3

It’s in these cases where it’s important to ask from taking (calculated) risks. But it does There is no question that language is
whether a new brand or product truly needs help guide your decision-making and build one of the most powerful tools we have
a name. Too many names and brands in a consensus among your key stakeholders. by which to connect—not only with our
portfolio often add to customer confusion— customers, but also with our employees
as opposed to signaling expansion or 9. Underestimating the story you and partners. But, to truly work for your
innovation—and can work to dilute your need to tell at launch brand, that language must be codified and
main brand and confuse your customer. properly activated.
Once the name has been chosen,
This is where brand architecture comes the leadership team and the board have Therefore, the language of your brand
in. Create organizing principles based on signed off, and the name and the identity starts with the strategy, but it lives in the
your brand strategy to guide all naming come together, the real anxiety can set in: content people consume, and experiences
decisions. This will help you to determine What will people think of the name? they have, every day. Verbal identity sets
the ideal relationship between your main More specifically, what will our target the tone for your brand. It impacts how
brand and any new sub-brands, line audience think? employees and consumers communicate
extensions, and flankers. Then, you’ll be about the brand, how they speak about the
in a position to choose the right naming brand, and even how they behave when
In today’s global economy,
approaches for each. interacting with the brand.
a thorough global linguistic
evaluation is a must.
Not everything needs a name. Ensure your Create a distinct language for your brand
naming strategy always pushes equity to by focusing on voice, messaging, and
the brands that matter. This, in turn, will In a time when everyone can be a critic content strategy—and make sure you
ensure that your offerings always help your with a keyboard, the story that is told as the train all your brand’s authors to use it.
customers make the best decisions they name launches matters. This doesn’t mean This distinct language will, after all,
can, quickly and easily. your organization needs to share some influence advertising campaigns, job
over-manufactured story about language postings, packaging design, media
8. Making it emotional roots. It’s more about being honest with interviews, digital experiences—and
your customers about what the new name everything in between.
When choosing a name, the decision can be means for them. The name should provide
very subjective. We’ve all had experience in a tie to a benefit, the articulation of a new
naming someone or something. We all carry promise, and reassurance as to what will
personal associations around certain names. change—and what will remain the same.
And we all have preferences, usually based
on other successful brands in the market, Also, be sure to consider all the audiences
or brands we personally like or respect. this name will affect: It won’t just be
customers who care. Employees might
want to hear about the new name before
The strongest brands are ones that
the marketplace is notified. Members of
transcend the physical attributes of
the media will want a hook. Investors and
a product, service, or company to
stakeholders will want reassurance and
form emotional connections with
will expect to see results.
customers. Names can help do this.
People will talk about a name for just a few
So it’s important, when choosing a name, weeks before they transfer the association
to choose based on clear criteria for and commentary to the product or
success. In the points above, we’ve covered experience. And real equity exists when
many of the ways to do this early on in the name and the experience become one.
the process. But once you arrive at a final So plan your launch, or re-naming and
shortlist of name candidates, research migration strategy, carefully. Give them
can be a powerful, quantifiable tool. By the right something to talk about.
carefully testing names with the people
who will ultimately determine the success 10. Ending the verbal identity
of your brand—your target audience—you process at a name
can determine appeal and weed out any
unanticipated negative reactions. A brand is so much more than just its
name. While names are vital and valuable
Research can’t tell us everything and it assets, they are only one part of your
should not be the only way by which you brand’s identity.
decide on a name. Nor should it limit you
Paola Norambuena
Executive Director, Verbal Identity,
North America
[email protected]

Paola is Executive Director of Verbal for

Interbrand North America, managing the
practice for naming, voice, messaging,
creative writing, and content. She is also
the Publisher of Brandchannel, the
industry’s leading online channel for
brand news and branded content.

Passionate about language, Paola believes

it is a powerful tool. It impacts behavior
and helps brands create an emotional
connection with customers, employees
and key stakeholders. It’s a brand’s
living expression.

Paola creates communication strategies

at every level of the brand experience.
That’s everything from crafting the brand
strategy to full expression and activation
in the marketplace, which includes
naming and nomenclature systems,
global roll-out, and training of voice
and messaging, employee engagement,
and content strategy, creation,
and publishing.

Paola’s clients include: GE, NBC, Tyco,

Covidien, UPS, Prudential, Tiffany & Co.,
JC Penney, UBS, AIG, Bank of America,
Fidelity, Microsoft, P&G, Mars, ING, Voya
Financial, Johnson & Johnson, ADP,
Victoria’s Secret, AT&T, Intel, McDonald’s,
TD, Walgreens, Luxottica, Kmart/Sears,
McKesson, Nielsen, Kellogg’s, BNY Mellon,
and Ally Financial.

© 2015 Interbrand Creating and managing

www.interbrand.com brand value
TM
CONTACT US
Paola Norambuena
Executive Director, Verbal Identity, North America
Tel: +1 212 798 7590
[email protected]

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