Any real success in the marketplace is the result of the synergy of a good product with a good name to match. There have been products introduced that have everything going for them except a good name....and are met in the market with a resounding ho-hum from consumers. To have a hit, it's all about having the right chemistry between the two.
Some names are close to being in alignment, but just miss the mark (see Zorbeez below)...Other times, products can have fairly good success in the market by being forced onto consumer by a large manufacturer, but eventually, if the name is not great, the market will speak.... and the product and name will be altered, changed or downplayed (see Compaq below)...And sometimes a product or brand name starts out in alignment but doesn't make the necessary changes in the future to keep with the times and will suffer with declining sales or it's untimely demise.
Branding names for stores, movies, books, even for actors and musicians work the same way. Marilyn Monroe had everything going on in the right places (beautiful, intriguing, had great acting ability) except for one thing. She was born with the very uninteresting name of Norma Jean Mortenson. Who was the group behind the cult-like song, Godzilla? Why it was the Stalk-Forrest Group, who luckily changed their name to Blue Oyster Cult by the time they came out with this hit song. Talent agents or someone else trying to further these wares to the public figured out this misalignment early on and made changes to come up with a name that better matched the product...where they were eventually discovered by the masses.
Here are some examples of good names (aligned well with their product or services), along with their bad (out of alignment) counterparts:
ShamWow and Zorbeez (alignment slightly wobbly)
Wii (fun/fanciful) and Sega (simultaneously fell with industry)
Kindle and Nook ("oh, behave, all you bookworms!")
IPhone and Viewty (??? ... new LG phone... Viewty??)
Snuggie and Slanket (Sleeves and Blanket should not be combined)
Blackberry and Compaq (brand still around, barely, under HP umbrella)
Burger King (standing the test of time) and Wendy's (still around??)
Best Buy and Radio Shack/The Shack (name makeover tried, but still feels uncool)
So... if you're thinking about coming out with a new product or service, try to think of names that can stand the test of time. To do that, you need to be as forward thinking as you can. And always, focus on choosing names that are thoughtful, fun, fanciful, unexpected, cool, catchy, and be easy on the lips to say... And maybe your product and name will be in alignment...and well on its way...
Some names are close to being in alignment, but just miss the mark (see Zorbeez below)...Other times, products can have fairly good success in the market by being forced onto consumer by a large manufacturer, but eventually, if the name is not great, the market will speak.... and the product and name will be altered, changed or downplayed (see Compaq below)...And sometimes a product or brand name starts out in alignment but doesn't make the necessary changes in the future to keep with the times and will suffer with declining sales or it's untimely demise.
Branding names for stores, movies, books, even for actors and musicians work the same way. Marilyn Monroe had everything going on in the right places (beautiful, intriguing, had great acting ability) except for one thing. She was born with the very uninteresting name of Norma Jean Mortenson. Who was the group behind the cult-like song, Godzilla? Why it was the Stalk-Forrest Group, who luckily changed their name to Blue Oyster Cult by the time they came out with this hit song. Talent agents or someone else trying to further these wares to the public figured out this misalignment early on and made changes to come up with a name that better matched the product...where they were eventually discovered by the masses.
Here are some examples of good names (aligned well with their product or services), along with their bad (out of alignment) counterparts:
ShamWow and Zorbeez (alignment slightly wobbly)
Wii (fun/fanciful) and Sega (simultaneously fell with industry)
Kindle and Nook ("oh, behave, all you bookworms!")
IPhone and Viewty (??? ... new LG phone... Viewty??)
Snuggie and Slanket (Sleeves and Blanket should not be combined)
Blackberry and Compaq (brand still around, barely, under HP umbrella)
Burger King (standing the test of time) and Wendy's (still around??)
Best Buy and Radio Shack/The Shack (name makeover tried, but still feels uncool)
So... if you're thinking about coming out with a new product or service, try to think of names that can stand the test of time. To do that, you need to be as forward thinking as you can. And always, focus on choosing names that are thoughtful, fun, fanciful, unexpected, cool, catchy, and be easy on the lips to say... And maybe your product and name will be in alignment...and well on its way...
