A brand with a good name does not always become
a successful brand, but a successful brand has
always a great name.
Choosing the name is the most important decision that must be made with the birth of a new brand. The name is the only element that remains unchanged throughout the life of a brand. Over time, changes may occur in the logo, packaging or slogan. These changes (rebranding) are sometimes necessary to revitalize the brand image. The name never changes. Whatever the choice and manner in which it is expressed, the brand name is loaded with emotions, associations, meanings and represents most of the brand identity, defining the values and aspirations with which it is credited. The name is the quintessence of the brand.
Obviously, every brand has a starting point. A point from which it embarks on a challenging journey into a globalized market. This starting point can be an idea, an opportunity, an invention. It can be anything new, unique, unmistakable. This starting point begins with Brand Naming. A successful brand always has a successful name. What determines a name to be appropriate, how do we choose a name that best represents the brand, how do we semantically determine the right meanings for that name? What are the areas of cultural, historical, social interest that best correspond to choosing the right name? Here are some questions I will answer. Of course, no one is the knower of the absolute truth. There is an unpredictable quota that can turn a "trivial" name into a successful brand at any time. (Who could have imagined in 1994 that Jerry Yang, David Filo, the founders of yahoo, would build a global brand, so well known, whose name ends in the sound of stadium hooligans starting in the 1970s?)
Choosing a successful name takes into account a few key elements:
- - It must be short, easy to pronounce and memorable on any meridian of the globe. Given that the market is globalized, each brand addresses a specific consumer but located in different geographical areas.
- - The name must not cause linguistic confusion or interfere negatively with cultural or social elements specific to a particular region or population. For example, BigMacs (McDonald’s) has the meaning of big breasts in the Canadian slang.
- - Avoid cacophonies.
The notion of cacophony (sometimes called dissonance) is used in linguistics and music to refer to any unpleasant associations of sounds. The antonym term is euphony. Rhetoric includes in the notion of cacophony any unpleasant successions of sounds in speech, annoying either by the difficulty of pronouncing or understanding the spoken message, or by the accidental formation of words with inappropriate or unpleasant meanings.
It must be attractive, convey a sense of authenticity and credibility (a brand of sneakers could never be called snail / snail without producing disastrous sales effects). Its pronunciation should be harmonious, melodic, with a well-chosen balance between consonants and vowels regardless of the language used, or loud enough to arouse interest.
It must not in any way limit the global development of the brand, but allow its long-term use and not be related to a certain state, situation, social, cultural, temporary political situation. It must convey in one word, if possible, the essential, unique quality it represents. It is preferable for the name to consist of a single word (at most two), but obviously the exception can strengthen the rule / Yves Saint Laurent is a shining example. It must be available to be registered as a trademark and as an internet domain. Trademark registration is a very important element in the brand promotion strategy. It is vital for a brand to be a registered trademark. For example, every five seconds new domains are registered. Today, almost 98% of the words in the basic English vocabulary are registered as internet domains. Romania also respects this trend. New domains are being registered every day, so it is becoming increasingly difficult to find a suitable name.
If the brand is represented by a person, then the full name (first name or nickname) or just some fragments can be transferred to the brand. An example is Prof. Dr. Ana Aslan., To whose name the history of world geriatrics is inextricably linked. Prof. Dr. Ana Aslan is the one who created worldwide, the first drug (Gerovital) specifically made to delay the aging process. In 1956, Gerovital was presented for the first time to the international medical world at the Therapiewoche Congress in Karlsruhe and then at the European Congress of Gerontology in Basel.
The charismatic name of a brand can transform literary meaning and extend the explanation beyond the limits of dictionaries. Some examples of brands that have entered dictionaries as common nouns.
... and the list could go on with other famous names: ADIDAS ™; JELL-O ™ (jellies of the little ones); WALKMAN ™; VASELINE ™, etc.
