What's in a name? Well, a lot for people like us who love brands.
We recently worked on a project where we had to select a new brand name for one of our clients.
We will share the process our Brand Consultancy Service in India followed to find a name that fits a brand.
But first,
What is a Brand Name?
It is a business name that helps the target audience identify a company and differentiate it from similar brands within a category.
Why is a Brand Name important?
It helps establish brand identity and communicate with your consumers.
A brand name helps buyers can identify and distinguish a company's offer from its competitors.
How to Find the Right Brand Name
You can follow the below steps we use at our Brand Consultancy Service in India–
- Understand Your Brand
You begin by answering these questions to understand what you do and who you are –
- Purpose: Why do you exist?
- Vision: What future do you want to help create?
- Mission: How do you build that future?
- Values: What principles guide your behavior?
- Look at Your Differentiators
You can find what differentiates your brand from competitors using step 1 and some competitive analysis.
- Brainstorm
The part we enjoy the most, especially when there's a whiteboard in front of us.
You should perform these exercises in the brainstorming sessions –
- Write the adjectives that describe your product/ service.
- Define what you want your customers to feel when they use your product/service.
You need to keep the differentiators from step 2 in mind while doing these activities.
Another way of brainstorming is to think of the different categories of brand names.
Types of Brand Name
Some of the famous types are –
- Founder: A name based on a real or fictional person, such as Ralph Lauren.
- Descriptive: A name that describes what you do or make, such as Lean Cuisine and General Motors.
- Altered: A made-up name or words, such as Kodak and Spotify.
- Arbitrary: A real name with no immediate brand association, such as Apple and Camel.
- Metaphor: A name that represents attributes or symbolisms, such as Infiniti.
- Acronym: A name that uses initials or abbreviations, such as General Electric (GE).
- Magic Spell: A name formed by merging two words or mis-spelling a word, such as Facebook and Flickr.
- Test Your Brand Name
We can't emphasize enough how crucial this step is for finding the right brand name.
You need to discover a name you can own, trademark, and get the domain of it.
When you get a brand name, you should test it to understand what resonates most with your people.
What Should a Good Brand Name Have?
You want to find a name that's –
- Memorable: It should communicate your brand essence, form an image, and cultivate a positive emotional connection.
- Distinctive: It should be unique and stand out from competitors.
- Accessible: People can easily understand it, interpret it, say it, spell it, and Google it.
- Protectable: You should be able to trademark it, get a domain, and own it.
- Future-proof: It should have the potential to grow with the company, maintain relevance, and adapt to different products and brand extensions.
- Visual: You should be able to translate and communicate it through design (colors, logos, fonts).
Honestly, giving a name to a brand is a creative process backed by insights gathered through careful research.
That’s all from our side on brand name today.
We are a Consultancy for Businesses in India that mentor startups and emerging corporates in their branding, marketing, and business endeavors and unbox their true potential.
Book a free consultation session with us to find the right brand name for your business and unbox growth that comes from good brand recall.
