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gkBRAND: :Global Strategy. Branding. Naming. Design. Digital Media.

C reating your Brand Naming a d v a n t a g eS M

Emotional namingThe sound of a brand name can make a world of

difference in how the brand is perceived—and how

successful it will be. After taking connotations,

associations and repetition out of the equation, it is

true that elements of the sound itself carry certain

intrinsic reactions.

A word can sound large or small, strong or weak, even

light or dark. Here are a few linguistic tidbits that

have proven to be important in the creation and

selection of names for brands. These are not hard and

fast rules, by any means. A brand can transcend these

theories by its implied meaning, such as the friendly-

sounding "Apple," or by repetition.

Don't tell Bill that we're saying Microsoft is not a

good name—but that's our opinion. "Micro" equals

small and "soft" is well...soft. Sounds like a dose of

Viagra might help. But through repetition of the name,

we know who Microsoft is.

Here are a few examples of "sound symbolism." It's

interesting to note that certain sounds, whether made

by a mouse or a lion; a person speaking Swahili or

Spanish, have intrinsic meaning. Just in the way they

sound. In a nutshell, "e" sounds, as in "teeny," tend to

be perceived as small. On the other hand, "o," as in

omega or "a" as in "America" sounds large. It has to

do with the size of the voice box producing the vowel

and how wide the mouth is open. So "i" or "e" are

smaller sounding than "o" or "a."

Different sounds have a different feeling-significance;

they have a certain meaning and associations in

themselves. There are also phonetic components of

a name that convey "light" or "dark" as well as big or

small.

A study of 200 top brands proved that companies with

brand names containing what we call "plosives" were

historically more successful. A "plosive" is a "p," "t"

or a "k" sound that causes you to build up air pressure

in your mouth and forcefully pronounce the sound.

Think of Kodak, or Prozac or Coca-Cola, etc. A

"plosive" makes a noticeable noise and it has been

proven to make a difference.

Prozac is a good example—not only because

gkNAMING team members were involved in creating

it, but also because it's the kind of word that has a

"plosive" to start; then, with the "z -zzzz-" you start to

build up the force for the final "plosive" "ac!" "Prozac"

is also a unique name in that it makes absolutely no

reference to the pharmacological components of the

drug. But for Eli Lilly and Co., it has been hugely

successful.

When a person hears a name for the first time, the

name is never neutral. It always carries some feelings

or emotional, subliminal reactions because of past

associations. Names carry certain values and echoes

already residing in the mind, both conscious and

subconscious.

Other linguistic qualities, including phonetic (sound),

orthographic (spelling), morphological (structural)

and semantic devices enter into the

brand-naming process as well.

A combination of devices can be used in the creation

of names that will give brands a head start. Obviously,

the fit of the name with the object, as in "Bufferin," is

meaningful: 7-Eleven, Diet Pepsi, Kal Kan and Dr.

Pepper are all names that could be used as examples

of combinations of component linguistic devices.

Look at the components of these names: Compaq,

Burger King, K-Mart, Toyota, Excite, Sprint and Kraft.

When naming a brand, it's important to know that

new words come to our ears with meanings already

attached. "Nomen est omen" ("Names are destiny").

Note that family names also carry certain feelings.

Take this pair of British brands: Cadbury and Guinness

as family names. If Mr. Cadbury had been a brewer

and Mr. Guinness a confectioner, we might today be

drinking Cadbury's stout and eating Guinness,

chocolate. Perish the thought.

This theory carries over to baby-naming as well.

Certain names tend to build stronger character. But

that's another story altogether. In conclusion, it's

important for marketing people to know how the

sound of a name is going to affect its success in the

marketplace.

At gkNAMING as naming experts, we are always

relying on these hidden layers of meaning as we work

on creating new brand names. The genius of naming

for us is in capturing and shaping the underlying

meanings of sounds, as well as of larger language

elements, to create unique, ownable "sound symbols"

that resonate in consumers' minds.

For your naming consultation call:

Vásken Kalayjian CEO

Westport, CT Office: +1.203.226.8255 ext.16

New York, NY Office: +1.212.687.3099

[email protected]

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gkNAMING holds a unique position in the branding market, offering specialized brand naming of products, companies, locations and services, alongside

in-depth trademark research, linguistic analysis, translations and marketing research. Ensuring your brand name, coined or otherwise, is available to be

trademarked, easily pronounced in various dialects and free from negative connotations makes gkNAMING an invaluable resource for your next brand

naming project. If you are seeking nothing but the best, then gkNAMING is the company you want to call.

We are ComVort: We are in 170 offices in 140 cities and in 60 countries, employing 7,000 top creative minds in the world. We speak 50

languages, we support 5,000 clients and more than 6,000 brands and with a revenue of $1,1+ billion USD. This all translates into one

successful brand for you! Join the success story. 3

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1. A great name make an emotional connection with your customer

2. A great name communicates the essence of your company, its products and services

3. A great name becomes its own advertisement – saving millions of marketing dollars

4. A great name helps you stand out in a crowd

5. A great name communicates volumes about the benefits of your product

6. A great name is unique and ownable – it can survive the most rigorous trademark screening

7. A great name is evocative and exciting

8. A great name transcends geographical boundaries, is culturally appropriate and communicates

effectively across languages

9. A great name is a valuable and tangible asset

10. A great name is one you will never have to explain

11. A great name often emerges from your first instincts – it sometimes is the most obvious choice

12. A great name is often a brand new word – coined to communicate volumes about your product

13. A great name communicates the essence of your company, its products and services

14. A great name makes your engineers as happy as your marketing people

15. A great name is believable–it impresses without overstating

16. A great pharmaceutical name has no potential for confusion with other products, assuring patient safety

17. A great name is short, sharp and smart

18. A great name is easy to remember, spell and pronounce

19. A great name is extensible, capable of expanding as you grow

20. A great name communicates the personality of your products

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Top 20 elements of a Great Brand Name

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gkBRAND: :Naming Strategy. Naming. Naming Architecture. Name Testing. Trademark Search. Linguistic Analysis

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ComVort: Creating your global Brand advantage





[email protected]

We are a full service brand naming agency offering:

Market Research, Brand Strategy, Positioning, Brand Naming,

P roduct Naming, Company Naming, Location Naming, U R L

c reation, Naming Arc h i t e c t u re, Online Testing & Focus

G roups, Tagline Development, Trademark Researc h ,

Linguistic Analysis, Branding and Brand Reposi tioning,

Brand Simplification and New Product Development.

gkBRAND is aC o m Vo rt Agency

The world’s larg e s ti n d e p e n d e n tm a r k e t i n gc o m m u n i c a t i o n sn e t w o r k

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