Brand design brisbane

Posted by Jane Toohey on 1 March 2011 | 0 Comments

Tags: brand, naming, design

The 7 Criteria for a good name and the relevance to the brand

1. Distinctiveness.

Does it stand out from the crowd, especially from other names in its class? Does it separate well form ordinary text and speech? The best brands have the ‘presence’ of a proper noun. This encourages brand differentiation.

2. Brevity

Is it short enough to be easily recalled and used? Will it resist being used as a nickname? Long multi-word names will be quickly shortened to non-communicating initials. Brevity will help to ensure brand integrity.

3. Appropriateness

Is there a reasonable fit with the business purpose of the entity? If it would work just as well for another entity – keep looking! A brand must have relevance to the business it stands for and most importantly the target audience.

4. Easy spelling and pronunciation

Will most people be able to spell the name after hearing it spoken? Will they be able to pronounce it after seeing it written? A name shouldn’t turn into a spelling test or make people feel ignorant. This assists in brand recall.

5. Likability

Will people enjoy using it? Names that are intellectually stimulating or provide a good ‘mouth feel’, have a headstart over those that don’t. The brand values must match those of the target audience, to encourage maximum opportunity for relationship.

6. Extendibility

Does it have ‘legs’? Does it suggest a visual interpretation or lend itself to a number of creative executions? Great names provide endless opportunities for brandplay. A good name is able to provide brand extension into a brand hierarchy as needed.

7. Predictability.

Can it be trademarked? Is it available for web use? While many names can be trademarked, some names are more defensible than others, making them safer and more valuable in the long run. Being able to protect and own the name is the core ingredient to developing brand equity.

The 7 criteria were taken as an excerpt from The Brand Gap by Martin Neumeier.