Sometimes your competitors shape the language of the whole category.
And while it’s important to stand out, it’s just as important to stay clear. In this #tellthetruths video, I talk about the delicate balance between differentiation and confusion—and how getting too clever with your naming can leave people scratching their heads instead of clicking “buy.”
Check out the examples from Twitter and BlueSky, as well as JetBlue and the rest of the airline industry. Then let me know what you think.
A name can create an expectation that shapes how something tastes, because perception is reality and words frame our perception.s Don’t just take my word for it. There’s research!
In this #tellthetruths video I cite a famous study by Alfred Korzybski, though I can’t manage to remember his name.
Check it out and then let’s talk. This one could get sticky!
Would you drink a wine called “Herbacious Fruit?”
While I believe that a brand’s strategic needs should drive the type of brand name they choose, this #tellthetruths video shares some of my recent thoughts about how the category a name competes in will also drive whether the brand needs a cut and dried, descriptive name or something more evocative.
It’s hard to read, hard to pronounce and there’s no link to their positioning, but other than that…
There’s a lot to unpack in this pun-heavy brand name. Watch this #tellthetruths video and then tell me whether you think this name is showing youthful exuberance or just sucking.
Time for another Battle of the Brands! This time, it’s food vs. finance as we size up two companies with edible names.
Can Lemonade sweeten the insurance category? Does Bread rise to the top in financial services?
Let’s chew on it!
#BrandTrue #namingstrategy #brandnaming #naming #tellthetruths #battleofthebrands
EV names used to scream “electric.” Now they don’t. That shift says a lot about where we are and what naming has to keep up with. This week’s #tellthetruths digs in. Let me know what you think.
No, not the bodice-ripper kind of romance. The kind with rich storytelling that draws you in and makes you feel something. This week’s #tellthetruths video explores a brand name that breaks quite a few naming rules. It’s not clear, not super pronounceable, and not immediately memorable. But the story shines through and that’s what makes it work! Surprisingly, even for someone who obsesses over clarity and memorability, I think this one earns its place through sheer emotional pull. Where do you land on names like this. Do you fall head over heels, or does the spark fizzle before the first date?
This week’s #tellthetruths video features one of my favorite kinds of brand name: clever, confident, and backed by a brilliant business idea.
Clutch Beauty Bar sits next to Girls Auto Clinic, where women can get their cars serviced without the condescension. While you wait get a mani, pedi, or blowout next door. Genius!
The name hits the sweet spot—automotive pun, beauty reference, and serious entrepreneurial vision. Now that’s a power move.
Know any other brands with names that snap into place this perfectly? Drop them in the comments—I always love to hear the good stuff.
From time to time I see nonprofits that lean into sass, playfulness, and personality in their names—and I am here for it!
Two quick example highlighted in this #tellthetruths video:
🧦 Sox Box (yes, I said it backwards—no, I’m not re-recording it)
👙 I Support the Girls (and wait until you see that logo—you guys know I focus just on names in these videos, but this one is… memorable.)
If you’ve seen any other nonprofit names that ditch the formality and reserve to go bold, drop them in the comments—I’d love to see more!
