I keep seeing alcohol brand names that feel almost too specific. So specific that they stop feeling like brands and start feeling like instructions. In this week’s #tellthetruths video, I dig into the rise of hyper-specific alcohol naming, why High Noon pulls it off, and whether “drink me now” is really a strategy with staying power.
Cool Name. Now Werk It.
How are brand names like exercise? Well, with exercise more pain today is an investment in less pain over time. (Or so I tell myself, 4 times a week.)
I heard something on Caitlin Barrett’s excellent naming podcast, Big Names In Naming, that had me thinking about this. She had a VERY big name in naming, Anthony Shore, as one of her guests and he said something I wanted to share with you.
Shore talked about how the coined names that are typically easier to sell in to clients, and that are usually also easier to clear legally, are actually more expensive in terms of the effort to associate them with your desired meaning.
Check out this #tellthetruths video for more, then let me know what you think.
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Snark Tank
I’ve written many times about naughty brand names, but one step down is the snarky, sarcastic name that functions similarly. The attitude of these kinds of names can make them really memorable and engaging, provided that such at one is appropriate for your category and positioning.
Check out my latest #tellthetruths video for a breakdown and some fun examples. But more than anything, please share any examples of similar snark that you’ve encountered in the wild.
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Cousins, Not Sisters
When it comes to brand strategy, sometimes people confuse being consistent with being the same. Brands need to flex to the occasion, the medium, the daypart, whatever the context is. And that’s not inauthentic if there’s a consistent thread running underneath these customized presentations.
That’s what I mean by “cousins, not sisters.”
Check out this #tellthetruths video to hear more, then weigh in.
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Does This Name Suck: Nom Nom Dog Food
Check out my latest #tellthetruths video about Nom Nom Dog Food and the strategy of making onomatopoetic brand names. (No, I did NOT make that word up!)
Trigger warning: slurpy mouth sounds ahead!
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Great Strategy, Glitchy Name
The TL/DR on this #tellthetruths video is that you should never have to think this hard about a brand name.
Give it a watch. It’s not too long, either. Then let me know what you think.
Ugh Doesn’t Translate
The word “ugh” means very different things in different language, which have nothing to do with frustration or disgust. But the only thing that’s relevant is what they mean here.
Check out this #tellthetruths video about why it does NOTHING good for you to create brand names based on relevant meaning in some other, irrelevant language.
What, exactly, is the point of that?!?!?!
No, don’t do it! This is the same issue as we see with hidden back stories. Don’t make decisions that are more about showing off for the rest of the brand team. Talk to the people your brand is for!
Sheesh!
No! What I meant to say was… UGH!!
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Lay It On Thick
In this week’s #tellthetruths video I’m going to talk about thick communications, and why I like them so much in a marketing context. Like thick names that are rich with meaning, thick communications give your brain layers of context to grab onto, which engages, connects and makes everything more memorable.
Check it out!
I’m Not The Target. And That’s The Point
As much as I think I can remain objective when it comes to evaluating brand names, I’ve recently learned about how much it turns my head when I’m not the target.
Especially with names that draw on cultural currency, insider jokes, and the like, someone who is outside the tribe can see a really effective name and consider it a piece of poo!
Check out this #tellthetruths video for more and remember to ask your kids for their take the next time you think a brand name really sucks. Just, whatever you do, don’t ask them what 6-7 means!
