There can be few experiences more exciting than launching a new company or product. You might have merged with, or acquired another business. You might be adding a product to your existing range – or perhaps even launching something completely new.
Either way, you see it very much as your baby. And that brings us to choosing names. Because just as with a baby, it’s not something to embark on lightly. That name is for life – and it’s going to say a lot about your new company or product. With so much happening at once, you can easily lose any sense of perspective and slip up badly. Just to sound a note of warning, consider this scene in the boardroom of Rolls Royce back in the early sixties.
Gathered around the table are its most senior executives, for this is a momentous occasion. The name chosen for the latest model from the world’s most prestigious marque, still on the drawing board, is about to be revealed to the assembled company of elite insiders. Following the hallowed tradition established by its immediate predecessor, the Silver Cloud, the new car intended as the last word in luxury is going to be called the . . . Silver Mist. At which point many distinguished heads nod in approval, and murmurs of appreciation quietly make their way around the room.
Until, nervously clearing his throat, one brave soul summons up the courage to point out that this might not go down terribly well in Germany – an important market for Rolls Royce. Why? Because in German the word ‘mist’ means, and let’s put this as politely as possible, ‘manure’. And you have to agree, as brand names go that’s a pretty crap idea. Fortunately though, a sharp rethink meant the model eventually reached the market as the Silver Shadow, and the rest is history.
It’s an amusing little story, but the naming of new companies or brands is a very serious business. And it’s no laughing matter if you get it wrong. So how, exactly, should you go about getting it right? Well, different criteria apply to choosing company names or product names, but the basics are broadly similar. Does the name you have in mind express your brand’s personality? Does it push the right buttons with your target audience? Does it actually tell your customers anything about what you’re offering them? Is it a good ‘fit’ for what you can actually deliver – or does it over promise?
And that’s just for starters. How does it position you against your competitors? Are there any negative connotations? What about immediate impact and long term memorability? Do you go for something that’s very cutting edge right now – but risk it sounding very dated in a couple of years time?
With the right professional help you can find the right answers – and avoid skidding disastrously in the wrong direction, as Rolls Royce so nearly did. Think about it long and hard. After all, you wouldn’t want to end up with your brand being regarded as a load of . . . ahem . . . manure, would you?
