Being an entrepreneur and building your business from the ground up is exciting and equally frightening. Deciding which product or service to provide to your community is only half the battle. Finding the perfect name for your business and product is the other half of the mission, and it’s a pivotal step in establishing yourself as a trade name. The name is more than just a word, it helps to define the essence of your trademark, encapsulating its values and identity.
This blog will explore the different types of brand names with examples from a small handful of successful brands, and why they work. We’ll also look at the specific things you should and shouldn’t do when naming your brand or product. Finally, we’ll delve into the benefits of making the brand and product naming process a team effort and how a copywriting company can play a crucial role in achieving the best naming outcomes.
Giving your brand a name serves as the cornerstone for your business identity and can help you stand out in a crowded market, as well as establish a credible relationship between you and your customers by leaving a lasting impression in their memories. The brand’s name also forms the foundation for the brand’s logo and sets the wheels in motion for the entire marketing strategy.
There are several types of names and branding strategies, each with a unique set of characteristics. Knowing the different types of brand names can help you understand why several brands have successfully left an impression in the minds of millions of people for generations, and it’s the first step to choosing the perfect name for your unique company.
Descriptive brand names are generic and go straight to the point of describing exactly what product or service is being offered by the business. These types of brand names are appealing because they’re short and easy to remember, and they’re usually the first to pop up in a search engine (or a customer’s brain) because they’re straight to the point.
An example of a descriptive brand name is 7-Eleven, a name that came about in 1946 to reflect the retailer’s new operating hours. Essentially, the company wanted its consumers to know that they’d be open seven days a week from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. It’s a practical and easily understandable name that communicates a key feature of the business to potential customers.
These types of brand names don’t tell the whole story of what the business is about, instead, they give the consumer a hint or a clue by painting a picture of what could potentially be in store. Giving your business or product a suggestive name requires a bit more creativity than being generic, but it can be a fun way to connect with your target audience. Suggestive brand names have the potential to evoke feelings and leave a lasting impression.
Takealot is one of Africa’s largest and most innovative online retailers. The name is unique and memorable because it suggests that customers can take or purchase a variety of items at one stop, successfully conveying the brand’s value proposition.
Some of the most well-known brands have a name that is completely unrelated to the product or service, a name that’s often a made-up word with no meaning on its own. These are known as abstract brand names. The benefit of an abstract brand name is the blank canvas it provides for you to create a unique brand identity, however, it does come with the potential risk of forming no immediate connection with audiences.
Adidas is a sports clothing brand that was established in 1949 by the inventor and entrepreneur Adolf (Adi) Dasler. The name is a combination of the founder’s name and surname that has grown to become synonymous with sports apparel globally.
Now that we understand a few of the different types of brand names, we can go ahead a dive deeper into the do’s and don’ts of naming a brand or product. These tips can act as a guideline for choosing a name that works, highlighting the potential benefits and dangers of implementing or avoiding certain elements.
The name of your brand should stand out from the crowd and establish you as a unique solution to a specific problem
The most memorable names are simple, descriptive, and straight to the point. Choose a name that is easy to pronounce, fun to say, and quick to remember.
Your name should convey the business identity and mission, telling the story of the value your business brings to your specific community.
Names that are descriptive and generic are in high demand. Because of this, it’s crucial to ensure that no one else is using the same or a similar name already
Take the name for a test run by asking potential customers for feedback. Business owners can set up a poll where their potential customers can vote on the name they prefer based on a list of options.
While it may be tempting to have an abstract brand name, entrepreneurs should avoid using names that are obscure or only have meaning in a specific context. This can potentially alienate customers and limit your business’s ability to expand.
Generic names do a fantastic job of describing exactly what your business does, but they also have the potential to box the business into a single category and limit it from diversifying in the future.
Giving the brand a name based on current trends can make it expand rapidly in the beginning while the trendy word is still in fashion. But over time, the brand could die when the trend is no longer the in thing.
Be careful of cultural or linguistic differences that could potentially associate your brand with negativity.
Getting a third party involved in your brand’s naming process can be beneficial for several reasons including giving you a fresh perspective and diverse insights, as well as helping you avoid creative blind spots that could potentially result in a lawsuit.
A good copywriting company like TMG Global is like a secret weapon in the brand and product naming process, offering creative expertise that can help you tell your brand’s story in a unique way.
Because brand and product naming is a complex and time-consuming process, hiring a third party allows you to focus on other aspects of building the business while experts handle the naming process efficiently.
Brand and product naming is a critical aspect of building a successful business. By following the Do’s, avoiding the Don’ts, and enlisting the assistance of a professional, you can create a name that represents your brand and effectively resonates with your target audience. Consider making TMG Global a part of your product and brand naming team, so we can help you unlock the full potential of what your name can be.
