Brand identity starts with the name
Hardly any decision has such a long-term impact on your company or the success of a product as naming. Because once established, brand names can only be changed with great effort. The criteria for successful name development are therefore extensive.
The name of your brand or company is an essential part of your brand strategy. "Will you bring me the cheese with the holes and a crate of the beer with the blue label?" The naming identifies your brand, but it is also already the first step of a positioning, its origin, a quality description or takes into account the markets where you want to sell your products. "Fahrvergnügen" was the international claim of a car brand that not everyone abroad understood. But it was synonymous with German origin and quality and has stuck in people's minds. Another car brand also advertises internationally with the simple claim "Das Auto". Sometimes that's all it takes to give customers the impression that a brand is synonymous with a certain product. Brand names, just like slogans, are something that will shape your brand, your company and, above all, the view of your company for years to come. This is why finding the right name is so important.
Finding the right name is a multi-step process – but it's not trial and error. Naming describes the sometimes difficult process of giving a product or a company the right name. You should always keep in mind what you want to realize in the future under the umbrella of the brand or company name: So always develop your brand name with an eye to the future, to expanding the product portfolio or expanding into new markets. Once a name has been established through many years of advertising, it can only be changed with a lot of effort. Many people may still remember how the snack brand Raider was renamed Twix. This took years, with a lot of advertising expenditure, until the new brand was firmly established in the minds of consumers. The same applies to other brand elements such as claims (also called slogan) or colors, and extends to packaging design and packaging shapes.
Brand naming therefore has special requirements and rarely comes out of nowhere. We are often asked by clients if we can also develop a naming if they have already gone through several unsuccessful creative rounds themselves internally. Naming also requires a detailed briefing in which the brand strategy, target markets, priorities and, if necessary, a brand story are explained. In the end, consumers should associate a clear story with the name.
Important aspects to consider when developing a name:
– The readability of the name, also the correct spelling are important
– Find a name that raises questions, that stays in peoples minds to generate more attention and recognition
– Your brand name should be as unique and distinctive as possible
– Internationally understandable if you want to sell abroad
– Pleasant, positive associations that are consistent with the product or your product promise
– A short, concise name that also works well in a logo design
Also important in the naming process is the timely examination of trademark protection and, if applicable, existing claims of competitor trademarks. For this reason, we always integrate an early quick search of the worldwide trademark databases into our multi-stage naming projects and point out any limited chances of success for trademark protection. In this way, we shorten the process and avoid unnecessary inquiries with your trademark attorney and the frequent trial and error involved in finding a name.
Our naming process always takes place in consultation with you. From an initial creative brainstorming session with proven creativity methods, a top list, short list, long list, first naming-prioritizations of the short list, initial research results, feedback and initial prioritization on your part, further revision of the selected alternatives or further creativity sessions, to the top list for final review by your trademark attorney.
We will be happy to explain to you in detail how this process works and when and how you should register your trademark in the most sensible way in a non-binding telephone call or by e-mail. You will find further aspects and backgrounds that still need to be considered in the naming process in our practical briefing form, which you can request from us by sending an e-mail to info[at]pacoon.de or by using our contact form. We will be happy to support you in developing your naming and the subsequent logo design.
By the way: PACOON also won out against many other ideas when we were founded. In colloquial English, the word has a somewhat hairy meaning, but this little "shortcoming" didn't stop us. When we are asked what PACOON means, and we ask back what it sounds like, in combination with our figurative mark we come up with terms that describe our daily work very well.