9 Critical Brand Naming Principals

Summary

Stephen Houraghan from BrandMasterAcademy.com shares nine essential brand naming principles in this video, guiding business owners to strategically select names that resonate with audiences and avoid common pitfalls. He emphasizes the importance of contextual memorability, framing the brand's core idea, and ensuring clarity and meaning in the name. Houraghan also advises on the significance of the brand name in facilitating growth and the necessity of a thorough, thoughtful process to arrive at the perfect name.

Takeaways

• 📝 The importance of strategic brand naming is often overlooked, with many business owners choosing names without considering the long-term impact on brand perception and memorability.
• 🎯 Brand names should be strategic tools that help convey the brand's positioning and differentiation, rather than just catchy or familiar terms.
• 🌟 A brand name should aim to be memorable and contextually relevant, helping audiences remember the brand for the intended reasons.
• 🖌️ The brand name should frame the 'big idea' of the brand, solidifying its position in the audience's mind and reflecting its core purpose and values.
• 🔍 Brand names should have meaning, tying into the brand's mission, vision, and the transformation it aims to offer its customers.
• 💡 Clarity is crucial in brand names to avoid confusion and ensure the audience easily understands the brand's identity and offerings.
• 🚫 Avoid using acronyms or confusing names that may hinder the audience's ability to connect with and remember the brand.
• 🧠 Memorability is key; brand names should be easy to recall and not solely descriptive of what the business does, as other tools can serve that purpose.
• 🛍️ The brand name should facilitate the brand's success, but it is not the sole determinant of success; the overall brand experience is paramount.
• 🔍 Before finalizing a brand name, ensure it is available for use, including checking for existing trademarks and securing a suitable domain name.
• 🕰️ Choosing a brand name is a process that requires time and consideration; avoid rushing into the most obvious options and explore a wide range of possibilities.
• 🔄 Strategic naming involves a thorough process, and the perfect name may not present itself immediately, but with patience and effort, it will emerge.

Q & A

What are the nine critical brand naming principles discussed in the video?

The nine principles are: 1) The brand name is a strategic tool. 2) The brand name should frame the big idea. 3) The brand name should have meaning. 4) Aim for clarity in the brand name. 5) Memorability is critical. 6) The name facilitates the brand. 7) The name should be available. 8) Choose your name slowly. 9) Strategic naming is a process.

Why is it a disadvantage to name a brand before any strategic brand development processes are in place?

Naming a brand before strategic development is at a disadvantage because the brand name is a strategic tool that can influence audience perception and memory. Without proper strategy, the brand may not effectively communicate its value or position in the market.

What is the importance of contextual memorability in brand naming?

Contextual memorability is important because it helps the audience remember the brand based on the context and the idea the brand wants to convey, shaping their perception of what the brand represents.

How does the brand name help in framing the big idea of a brand strategy?

The brand name helps frame the big idea by supporting the brand's positioning and differentiators, making it easier for the audience to understand and remember why the brand is unique compared to competitors.

Why should a brand name have meaning?

A brand name with meaning is more likely to be emotionally adopted by both internal brand representatives and the audience, as it ties into the brand's purpose, beliefs, and the transformation it aims to provide to its customers.

What is the role of clarity in a brand name?

Clarity in a brand name ensures that the audience can easily understand and remember the brand, avoiding confusion that might hinder the brand's goal of bringing the audience and business closer together.

Why is it not advisable to use acronyms in brand naming?

Acronyms can be confusing and may not be easily understood by the audience, which goes against the brand's goal of clarity and ease of communication.

How does the brand name facilitate the brand's success?

While the brand name itself does not guarantee success, it facilitates growth by being memorable and leading the audience back to the positive experiences they have had with the brand.

What checks should be performed to ensure a brand name is available for use?

Checks should include verifying that there are no existing trademarks on the name within the relevant class and ensuring that a suitable domain name, preferably a .com, is available.

Why is it recommended to choose a brand name slowly and not rush the process?

Choosing a brand name slowly allows for a thorough exploration of possibilities and helps avoid settling on the most obvious options, which may not be the best solutions for the brand's long-term strategic goals.

What is the significance of viewing strategic naming as a process rather than an immediate idea?

Viewing strategic naming as a process acknowledges that finding the perfect name requires time, effort, and exploration of various options, increasing the likelihood of discovering a name that aligns with the brand's strategic objectives.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Strategic Brand Naming Principles

Stephen Houraghan from BrandMasterAcademy.com introduces nine essential principles for brand naming. He emphasizes the importance of strategic naming over spontaneous decisions based on personal preference or sentimentality. Houraghan explains that a brand name is a tool to plant a seed in the audience's mind, influencing their perception of the brand. He uses the analogy of naming a dog to illustrate how names can shape our initial impressions and applies this concept to brand names, highlighting the need for names that are contextually memorable and strategically aligned with the brand's positioning and differentiation.

05:02

🔍 The Importance of Meaningful Brand Names

The paragraph delves into the significance of brand names that carry meaning, reflecting the brand's purpose, beliefs, and the transformation it aims to offer its customers. Houraghan stresses that a meaningful name is more likely to be emotionally adopted by both the brand's representatives and its audience. He advises against confusing names, especially acronyms, which can hinder the brand's goal of bringing the audience and business closer together. The role of the brand name, according to Houraghan, is to facilitate brand recall and memorability, not to describe the business, which should be achieved through other tools like taglines or slogans.

10:07

🚀 Prioritizing Memorability and Availability in Brand Names

Houraghan discusses the critical nature of memorability in brand names, advising against descriptive names that fail to stand out. He highlights that the brand name's role is to be easily recalled by the audience. Furthermore, he touches on the practical aspect of brand naming, emphasizing the necessity of ensuring the name's availability, including checking for trademarks and securing an appropriate domain name. He also warns against the pitfall of entrepreneurs seeking a name like 'Apple,' clarifying that success comes from the brand's experiences, not just its name.

🛠️ The Brand Naming Process and Its Pitfalls

In the final paragraph, Houraghan outlines the brand naming process, urging a slow and thoughtful approach to avoid settling on the most obvious options too quickly. He advises exhaustive exploration of all possible names and stresses that finding the perfect name is a process that requires time and effort. He also points out that many business owners underestimate the strategic importance of brand names, often selecting them without considering their impact on brand perception and audience connection. Houraghan concludes by inviting viewers to share their experiences and challenges with brand naming and to seek further insights at BrandMasterAcademy.com.

Keywords

💡Brand Naming

Brand naming refers to the process of creating a unique name for a brand, business, product, or service. In the video, it is emphasized as a strategic tool that can influence audience perception and memorability. The script discusses the importance of avoiding common pitfalls and choosing a name that aligns with the brand's strategic positioning.

💡Strategic Brand Development

Strategic brand development involves creating a brand identity that resonates with the target audience and differentiates the business from competitors. The video mentions that most business owners select a brand name before any strategic development takes place, which can be a disadvantage if the name does not support the brand's strategic goals.

💡Memorability

Memorability is the quality of being easily remembered. The video script highlights the importance of a brand name being memorable to ensure that the audience can recall the brand easily. It is a key aspect of a brand's identity that contributes to its recognition and recall.

💡Contextual Memorability

Contextual memorability is the ability of a brand name to be remembered in a specific context or for a particular reason. The video explains that a good brand name should help the audience remember the brand based on the context and the brand's intended image, which is crucial for shaping audience perceptions.

💡Brand Positioning

Brand positioning is the strategy of creating a unique place for a brand in the minds of consumers, relative to the competition. The video script suggests that a brand name should help frame the brand's positioning and differentiator, making it clear why the audience should remember the brand.

💡Brand Differentiator

A brand differentiator is a feature or aspect of a brand that sets it apart from competitors. In the context of the video, the brand name should act as a differentiator, helping the audience to distinguish the brand and understand its unique value proposition.

💡Sentimentality

Sentimentality in the video refers to the emotional attachment that business owners may have to a brand name, often because it was suggested by a family member. The script warns against letting sentimentality influence the strategic selection of a brand name, as it should be chosen for its strategic value rather than emotional significance.

💡Acronyms

Acronyms are abbreviations formed from the initial letters of other words and are often used as brand names. The video points out that while some successful brands use acronyms (e.g., HSBC, AT&T, ING), they can be confusing and not ideal for brand names because they may not be easily understood by the audience.

💡Clarity

Clarity in brand naming means that the name should be easily understood and not cause confusion among the audience. The video emphasizes the importance of clarity to ensure that the brand name supports the brand's goal of bringing the audience and business closer together.

💡Domain Availability

Domain availability refers to the accessibility of a desired internet domain name for a brand's website. The video script mentions the importance of checking if a brand name's corresponding .com domain is available, as most short and memorable domain names are already taken, and this can impact the brand's online presence.

💡Strategic Naming Process

The strategic naming process is the methodical approach to selecting a brand name that aligns with the brand's strategy and goals. The video script advises taking time to go through this process, exploring various options, and not rushing to settle on the first appealing name that comes to mind.

Highlights

Stephen Houraghan introduces nine critical brand naming principles for strategic brand development.

Most businesses select brand names without strategic processes, leading to disadvantages in brand perception.

The importance of a brand name as a strategic tool to influence audience perception from the first touchpoint.

Brand names are often chosen based on personal preference rather than strategic relevance.

The impact of brand names on shaping audience perceptions, similar to how we perceive a dog named 'Fluffy' versus 'Killer'.

Contextual memorability is key for a brand name to be remembered for the intended context.

Brand names should frame the big idea and differentiate the brand from competitors.

Meaningful brand names tied to the brand's purpose and mission are more likely to be emotionally adopted.

Clarity in brand names is crucial to avoid confusion and align with the brand's goals.

Memorability of a brand name is critical for easy recall and brand recognition.

The role of a brand name is to facilitate brand recall, not to solely define brand success.

Ensuring brand name availability through trademark and domain checks is essential.

Choosing a brand name is a slow and thoughtful process to avoid settling on the most obvious options.

Strategic naming is a process that requires time and effort to uncover the perfect name.

The video emphasizes the often-underestimated importance of brand naming in overall brand building.

Invitation for viewers to share their experiences and challenges with brand naming in the comments.

Encouragement to subscribe for more actionable brand strategy tips and techniques.

Transcripts

What's up brand builders! Stephen Houraghan here of BrandMasterAcademy.com and in this

video you're gonna learn nine critical brand naming principals that you can use

when naming your brand your business your product or your service so you can

avoid the mistakes that most business owners make and plant a strategic seed

in the mind of your audience from the very first touchpoint.

now if you're new to the channel and you want actionable brand strategy tips and techniques to

grow your business well then hit that subscribe button and the notification

bell and you'll be well on your way now my experience I would say over

90% of brand names are selected long before any kind of strategic brand

development processes are put into place usually the business owner comes up with

the idea for the business and soon after comes up with a name for that

business based on nothing other than the fact that they believe it sounds good

they believe it sounds catchy or even worse one of their family members has

come up with this idea and now they've got an element of sentimentality attached to it

and they don't want to let it go but either way any business or brand that is

named in this manner is at a massive disadvantage because the brand name is

actually a strategic tool that the brand strategist can use to plant a seed in

the mind of the audience as to why that brand should be remembered so if it is

named early on in the business development stage and not the brand

development stage well then this business and this future brand is at a

massive disadvantage now let me give you an example here let's say you have a new

neighbor move in next door and you meet this neighbor at the gate at your front

lawn and you get chatting to your neighbor and they tell you that they

have a dog and you ask ok what's your dog's name

and they say fluffy now immediately you're going to paint a picture in your

mind as to what kind of dog this is without any other information other than

the name now let's say you ask them what the name of the dog is and they say

killer now you are gonna have a completely

different picture as to what kind of dog that is going to be and that's gonna

impact immediately how you feel about that dog now I know that's a very broad

example and a very very basic example but how our brain works doesn't change

we are always painting pictures as to how we perceive something based on the

information at hand and that's exactly what we do with brands as well so when

it comes to the name of your brand there's some subtle nuances going on

here with how your audience paints a picture of your brand in their mind

based purely on the name so whether you're building a brand for your own

business or whether you're building a brand for a client it's really important

that you understand the strategic relevance of the brand names so you can

either make those decisions yourself or to have a conversation with your client

about the impact and the strategic viability of the brand name so I'm gonna

run through nine key principals that you can take into your brand naming

processes so you can start to name the brands that you build more

strategically principal number one the brand name is a strategic tool now a

strategic brand is made up of multiple elements all coming together to play

individual roles in the building of a brand the brand awareness the brand

recognition each one of those elements all plays their own role in making that

brand memorable to who that audience is and helping to shape the perceptions in

their mind as to what that brand means and when it comes to the brand name

memorability and contextual memorability is key so what is contextual

memorability well it's getting your audience to remember your brand based on

the context and the idea that you want them to remember your brand for so

really you want them to have a certain type of image and a certain type of

picture of what your brand should mean to them and your name plays a really

important role in that principal number two your brand name should frame the big

idea now at the core of any brand strategy is the positioning strategy and

the differentiator of that brand and these two elements really

define what the difference is between your brand versus your competitor's

brands and if you are able to develop a name that helps to frame that position

and that idea as to again why your audience should remember your brand and

the context in which your audience should remember your brand well then

your brand name will help to solidify that position in the mind of your

audience principal number three your brand name should have meaning now if

you're able to develop a brand name with a meaning that's tied into why the brand

exists what the purpose is what it believes in and the transformation that

your brand is taking your customers on the outcome that they're going to

achieve if you can tie the brand name into any of those things then it's far

more likely to be emotionally adopted by the internal brand representatives as

well as the audience I really think about what your brand is going to

achieve what's it going out into the marketplace to do what is the purpose

why does it exist and what mission is it on what vision does it have for the

future what transition is your audience going

to really experience from your brand being in existence if you're able to

develop the brand if you're able to tap into any of those ideas it really gives

that name extra weight and extra meaning and as I said if it does have meaning

then it's far more likely to be emotionally adopted principal number

four aim for clarity now the role and goal of any brand is to bring an

audience and a business closer together essentially making it as easy as

possible for that audience to do business with that brand now if there is

any confusion whatsoever in any form of communication from that brand whether

it's through the message or the story or the visuals whether something's

misaligned then that works against the end goal of the brand which is to bring

the audience and the business closer together and that goes for the name as

well if there's any sort of confusion whatsoever is if there's something that

the audience just doesn't get about the name then that's gonna work against the

end goal of the brand so avoid any confusing sounding names or any name

that would make the audience think well what does that mean or what's that all about

and one of the major culprits here are acronyms so famous brands using acronym

names will be HSBC AT&T or ING now all of these brands are very successful

brands but they're not successful because of the name in fact they're

successful in spite of the fact that they have a confusing name so again

going back to what the brand is there to do it's to make things easy and to make

sure that everything is clear and understandable so avoid any kind of

confusing name and if you can avoid acronyms then do principal number five

memorability is critical now when you do have business owners coming up with

their brand names they usually choose descriptive names because they want

their audience to know what it is that they do and that's a fair assumption

really that you know you want to come up with a name that describes what it is

that the brand does but the role of the brand name is not to describe what the

business does you have many other tools for that including the tagline or the

slogan or even your messaging but the role of the brand name is to make sure

that the audience can recall the brand easily so if you're coming up with a

brand name you don't want to be describing what it is that the business

does you want to be providing a name that is easy to store in memory and be

able to easily recall that name so really go for that memorability and not

those descriptive names principal number six the name facilitates the brand now

the name is not gonna be what makes your brand successful or not successful

now I'm not downplaying the importance of the brand name the brand name is very

very important when it comes to brand recall and memorability and getting your

audience to really remember who your brand is and what your brand does but I

can't tell you how many entrepreneurs or business owners have come to me and said

I want a name like Apple and the word pear has been thrown into the

conversation that's it's happening more times than you would believe but when we

think about Apple we're not really thinking of the name we're thinking of

the experience that we understand that we've come to know and love

about Apple and that's the same for any brand when we recall a brand we're

recalling the experiences that we have with that brand and the name is not what

gives us those experiences the name leads us back to those experiences now

there's a famous entrepreneur by the name of Phil Knight and when he was

coming up with a brand name for a shoe company he thought that Dimension Six

was a great name but he was advised against it by some of his employees and

he eventually went with the name Nike even though he didn't like it now the

name Nike is not the reason that brand went on to become the success that it

did but it facilitated that growth and made it possible far more than the name

Dimension Six would have principal number seven your name should be

available so when you come up with your unique name for your brand you want to

run it through a series of checks to make sure that you can actually use it

so making sure that there is no trademark on the name certainly not

within your class if there is a trademark at all then you should really

look into the classes that that brand is trademarked in before you decide to use

it for yourself and then obviously when it comes to the domain as well now most

short .coms are already taken so if you do have a short and memorable catchy

name that you want to use and the .com is taken then just come up with an

alternative domain or if it really is a deal-breaker that you can't get your

hands on that .com domain then you should look to an alternative name for

the brand principal number eight choose your name slowly now the brand identity

design process and the brand naming process are actually quite similar in

nature because they are both creative and when you sit down to go through this

process usually what happens is the most obvious options jump out at you straight

away and it's quite easy to get stuck on any one of those options thinking that

it is the best one but often the most obvious solutions are not the best

solutions so quickly move on from those obvious solutions and really take the

time to exhaust out the list of possibilities so again just take your

time with choosing a name and take your time with the development

of that name and make sure that you really exhaust every single angle and

principal number nine strategic naming is a process so understand that the

perfect name is probably not gonna jump out at you straight away you really need

to take the time and go through the processes go through the motions and as

I said before in the previous point really exhaust those possibilities take

your time with it and go through those processes and trust that if you give

enough time and attention and care to the actual process itself then more

often than not a perfect name really does reveal itself so take assurance and

take confidence in knowing that coming up with a strategic name coming up with

the perfect name for your brand is a process it doesn't always jump out at you

straight away but if you do take the time and effort and follow the

principals in this video then you're far more likely to come up with a suitable

brand name now my experience the naming of a brand is taken far too lightly in

most corners as I said before you have so many business owners that just pick a

name at the drop of a hat they don't really consider all of the strategic

elements at play and they don't really consider the role of the name in the

overall brand building exercise so when you understand that when you understand

that branding the role of brands is to really bring a business and an audience

closer together and the way that you do that is by influencing the perceptions

of your brand in the mind of your audience well then that really puts into

context the role and the importance and the relevance of the brand name in

shaping that perception if you liked this video please give it a thumbs up

and hit that subscribe button and the notification bell as well it really does

help the channel grow if you want more actionable tips and techniques around

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techniques right into your inbox but I'd love to hand that over to you now I'd

love to hear from you what your experiences are what your challenges are

around naming brands or the brand naming process let me know in the comments box

below let me know any questions I'll do my best to answer all of those until

next time brand like a master and I will see you in the next video!