Our services
News
Naming mistakes
Many businesses make the mistake of assuming that finding a name can be done internally, quickly and easily. Years are undertaken in the development of an idea, product or service, only to rush the naming at the last stage, before launch – often resulting in a disappointing performance of a product which tested well in market trials.
Take for example these common mistakes which should be AVOIDED:
culturally, linguistically insensitive obscure or complex limited by geography unchangeable
Cultural, Linguistic Insensitivity.
In a global marketplace, cultural and linguistic differences must be recognized. For instance, a name in one language may be richly connotative but completely negative and off-putting in another language. A cultural icon or myth valued by one country may be perceived by another as offensive and disrespectful. The Asian market provides a compelling example. “As both the world’s third-largest advertising economy and an emerging market, China promises great potential for multinational corporations. However, the multiethnic Chinese culture, with its unique history and values, as well as its complex ideographic script and independent visual culture, also challenges the ability of the multinationals to communicate accurately, effectively, and without offense” (Fengru Li and Nader H. Shooshtari, “Multinational Corporations’ Controversial Ad Campaigns in China—Lessons from Nike and Toyota,” Advertising & Society Review, Volume 8, Issue 1, 2007).
Obscure or Complex.
Go for what is natural and intuitive. Protracted verbal descriptions have a wind drag effect. The prospect is likely to become impatient if forced to analyze an obscure or complex brand image or tag line. For instance, TFTEN was chosen as the name of a new company doing Search engine optimization, meaning "Top First Ten." It was original but too obscure for consumers. The company wisely changed the name with a great success.
Unchangeable.
If the name you have already chosen does not match the essence of your company, product or service, then do not hesitate to change it. Discovering that you have chosen the wrong name and refusing to change it, weakens your position in the market. Cultural shifts can quickly make a name dated and even negative for the prospect. When the marketers of Kentucky Fried Chicken changed the company name to KFC, they addressed a cultural shift to valuing healthy food. Choosing the acronym KFC as the new name, the company directed attention away from the cholesterol-laden word “Fried.”