A bad name can be your downfall
Honza Páv and Matez Jindra from Lovebrand presented their tips on choosing names at Brandstorming. In the Czech Republic, no one is more qualified than these two gentlemen from a branding agency that churns out this sort of work on a daily basis. But even for them, names are often a tough nut to crack.
You face huge competition:
- 202,662 .cz domain registrations in the Czech Republic in 2017 (according to cz.nic)
- 32,187 new companies in the Czech Republic in 2017 (according to ČTK)
- 8,071 new trademarks in the Czech Republic per year (according to E15)
This means that thousands of new names need to be devised every year for brands, domains and products. The name must be in harmony with the rest of your offering. A bad name will always catch up with you. Take these companies, for example:
- You may outgrow your original market segment (such as the Student Agency brand)
- You fail to change established associations (such as Spořitelní družstvo ano.)
- You fail to secure legal protection, and so you lose your brand literally overnight (such as Pepa.cz)
- At best, people will simply laugh at you
Plan well in advance
It is important to think about the name from the outset if you intend to enter a foreign market later (Korálky.cz, for example, will face significant pronunciation issues in France). This also applies to websites. If you are planning expansion, have SEO professionals design a concept for you straight away that will enable growth. Choosing and setting up the domain correctly is crucial right from the start.
Checklist for a good name
A great name must meet 8 criteria:
- Is it easy to remember?
- Can people pronounce it (is it phonetic)?
- Does it relate to your sector?
- Does it set you apart from the competition?
- Does it evoke the desired associations?
- Will it limit you in the future?
- Is the domain name available?
- Will it be possible to register a trademark?
Tips for a perfect name
#1 Wordplay
You can play with words or use handy online tools that do the work for you. Try, for example:
#2 Try acronyms
Write down a list of words related to your brand, then combine the initial syllables to create a catchy neologism. But be careful to ensure it can be inflected. The Czech language is rather unforgiving when it comes to uninflected names.
Of course, there are tools that will do this for you:
#3 Come up with metaphors
Sit down and write a list of words your brand should be associated with. Your brand is like …. Then come up with more words. This time, they’ll be objects, animals, mythical figures or anything else that evokes similar associations. This is how names such as the following were created:
- Palladium (precious metal)
- TV Prima (relaxed atmosphere)
- Rohlik.cz (everyday staple food)
#4 Translate
Write a list of words related to your brand. Try to include as many synonyms as possible. Use a translation tool to translate all these words into foreign languages.
Lovebrand has created a useful translation template. Give it a go.
Awaken your inner hater
Once you have a list of your main candidate words for the new brand, don’t forget the final evaluation. Base your assessment on the criteria in the introduction. Be ruthless and critical.
Download the evaluation spreadsheet
You can find the full presentation here:
What to do if “the new name is weird”
This topic was taken on by Sherpas – a Prague-based agency that has recently come through the process of coming up with a name. We take our hats off to them for deciding to rub salt into their own wounds.
The agency’s entire rebrand took 1.5 years. First, they tried out the new name “on a trial basis”, because the brand has to suit the employees as well.
Sherpas reassured us that 9 out of 10 names will seem strange. Simply because a name without negative associations doesn’t exist. You have to breathe the positivity into it yourselves.
If possible, always incorporate something distinctive into the brand. And it’s always possible. In Sherpas’ case, this uniqueness is illustrated by the lives of Sherpas trudging towards their dream summit. Carry this over to other materials. For example, every business card has the height in mm on the back (every employee has their own original business card, with their own original height).
Do you have a brilliant ice-breaker or a story that everyone will remember (yes, we’re a bit envious of that idea, Sherpas)? You need to immerse yourself in the story you’re telling.
When creating the name, don’t forget the slogan either. It can help you highlight what sets you apart. The full name is “Sherpas – UX-driven digital agency”; at first glance, you know what their speciality is, don’t you?
Also bear in mind that
… it’s not just about creativity. It’s also about processes.
… it will never be love at first sight.
… it will take longer than you think.
… the brand will mature like fine wine.