Name Wire: The Product Naming Blog

Bottled Brand Naming: A Broken Brand Promise

William Lozito — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 08:43:10 -0600

Bottled water looks set to be a casualty of the recession. Sales have flat-lined since 2007 and nosedived since the crash.

It is easy to see why: bottled water is a purchase that one can easily forgo, not least because more and more studies are showing that (free) tap water is just as good, or even better.

Now, the Government Accountability Office and the Environmental Working Group are pushing Congress to have bottled waters labeled with the same information that consumers can get about tap water. Different regulation laws have meant that bottled water is actually less regulated than the stuff coming out of your faucet.

The International Bottle Water Association, for its part, claims that its product is safe, but it still seems as if they will have to disclose more about their product than their soft drink/iced tea competitors. And additional standards should apply for claims that the water is "purified" or "spring water."

This is important, since a whopping 25% of the bottled water sold to you comes from municipal sources, like the tap. More research has even shown that 10 popular brands of bottled water purchased from a grocery store contained pollutants - an average of "8 contaminants in each brand."

Dr. Peter Gleick says that "The labels on bottled water in the United States are a combination of disinformation, misinformation, and no information."

More than that, bottled water brand naming, because it is totally unregulated, can be misleading. As Gleick says, "We thus have "Yosemite" bottled water from a municipal source in Los Angeles, "Everest" water from Texas, and all sorts of "Arctic" or "Glacier" brand waters from Florida and other places about as far removed from the Arctic or glaciers as one can get."

It has been quite clear for some time that bottled water companies have not been held accountable for the brand promises they make to the consumer with the product names they place on their labels.

Congress is simply taking a step towards ensuring all of us that when it comes to "spring water," we given enough information to understand what we are really paying for.

Technorati Tags: Bottled Water, Bottled Water Regulations, Bottled Water Naming, Brand Promise

Google Frees App Product Naming from the Oppression of Beta

William Lozito — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 12:56:36 -0600

Google has finally removed the "beta" tag from their Google Apps, including Gmail. It only took them about two years to do it (Gmail has had it for an unbelievable five).

The New York Times asks "What took Google so long?"

Well, it might be that Google has a different idea of what "beta" means. Usually it means that the product is not ready for heavy business consumption, but Google Apps were certainly good to go from the start.

Still, Gmail has been the longest "beta" product ever. One of the Google gurus says, somewhat cryptically, "For every product we have goals for feature completeness and we feel we've now met them."

Maybe that's so, but many businesses did not want to use a beta product and the beta tag had become a "branding issue."

Or, to put it another way, "who would pay for 'beta?'"

Google says they only represent a "speck" of the total market for productivity apps, but without beta holding them back, there is no telling how fast that speck will grow.

Technorati Tags: Beta Naming, Gmail Beta, Google Apps Naming, Google Beta

Is Emotional Brand Naming and Product Naming Motivating?

William Lozito — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 08:40:41 -0600

The psychology of naming and branding never ceases to interest me, and a recent piece on Brain Blogger makes me even more convinced that good naming affects us at a emotional level.

A good brand name hits us right in the brain's amygdala (the part of the brain involved in the process and memory of emotional reactions) and most of our purchases fullfill psychological rather than physical needs.

Top brand names are memorized by toddlers, as are easy to remember taglines. Today's logos take the place of family emblems or crests of the days of yore.

We use brand logos to identify who we are by placing them on the clothes we wear and the cars we drive.

It's no secret that the packaging and iconography of an item have a lot to do with what we decide to purchase. Studies have shown that within two minutes of seeing an item, we have made the call of whether or not to buy. Even color can have a lot to do with the decision.

Some names, like KeyGhost and 13 Boxes, arouse our curiosity and demand our attention, which is vital to the success of a product or brand name.

But long term, a brand name or product name that creates an emotional connection is preferred and insulates from price competition.

Technorati Tags: Psychology, Brand Psychology, Naming Psychology, Emotional Names, Emotional Brand Naming

Amazon Tests Waters of Internet Private Label Brand Naming

William Lozito — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 09:50:35 -0600

Amazon has been quietly, but vigorously and successfully, offering its own private label brands on its web site.

Exhibit A is the "Tom Douglas by Pinzon Dexter-Russell Stainless-Steel Slotted Fish Turner." "Pinzon" is the Amazon house brand and Tom Douglas is the celebrity chef who has endorsed it.

If you want one, you have to buy it from Amazon. You've probably also noticed that the fish turner also carries the name Dexter-Russell, which has made tools since 1818.

Here we see the celebrity endorsement doing the heavy lifting for the brand name, giving it an instant cachet. But Amazon isn't just a one trick pony, it has four house brands manufactured in ten countries:

Amazon Private Labels:

Pinzon - Launched 2005. The broadest and biggest of Amazon's house brands. Named for the European captain who first encountered the Amazon River. Bed and bath products, table-top kitchen tools and accessories. Indoor furnishings.
Denali - Launched 2006. Tools and accessories.
Pike Street - Launched 2005. Value-oriented products, particularly bed and bath.
Strathwood - Launched 2004. Outdoor furnishing and lighting.

As you can see, Amazon has been at this since 2004, but seems to have expanded its private label efforts thanks to the recession. This groups Amazon with Walmart and Target, who have also shored up their own private label branding for cost conscious consumers who still want interesting brand names in their homes.

In fact, Amazon has been referred to as "The next generation Wal-Mart" and seems set to keep on expanding its own lines, although these will ultimately represent only a fraction of the retailer's offerings.

At the same time, dead bricks and mortar brands are finding new life online. Stalwarts like Linen N' Things, Circuit City, Sharper Image and Bombay Co. are still out there as cyber brands.

It will be interesting to see how well these private label and resuscitated brands can compete online with brand names in the "real" world. For today's consumer, it doesn't get much more convenient or cost efficient than shopping online and buying for a lower price.

Technorati Tags: Pinzon, Amazon Private Labels, Private Label Branding, Private Label Naming

Can Brink's Company Name Change Maintain Its Brand Name Equity with Broadview Security?

William Lozito — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 09:20:53 -0600

Brink's has spun off its home security unit from its very well-known armored truck division and renamed it "Broadview."

This is a massive $120 million effort supported by a barrage of commercials featuring shady thugs breaking into suburban houses and being scared away by Broadview alarm systems. Their new tagline is "the next generation of Brink's Home Security," while their stock ticker will remain CFL, which stands for "Customers for Life."

Apparently, holding on to the Brink's name had licensing and taxation implications that were fearsome enough to warrant this name change.

A Broadview representative told AdWeek that the name was chosen because it "was meant to evoke 'broadband,' among other things" and that this is indicative of where the technology is heading.

Bob Allen, the company's president and CEO, also comments that "the new name is meant to reflect the wide range of services the company offers to both businesses and homes... [and] the name, and logo, are meant to convey the "active protection" provided by Brink's."

However, the company name change has received mixed reactions. For one, the word "home" is missing from the name, notes Security Systems News.

Whether your agree with the new company name or not, one must admit that this was quite an ambitious name change. It will be interesting to see if Broadview Security will be able to maintain the level of brand equity that Brink's Home Security built over the years.

Technorati Tags: Broadview, Broadview Security, Brinks Home Security, Brinks Name Change, Company Name Change, Renaming

Hardee's Name Our Holes: Tasteless Product Naming or Modern Mobile Marketing?

William Lozito — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 09:28:33 -0600

I am not going to pass judgment on Hardee's new brand naming effort with their "Biscuit Holes" promotion, but cannot help but submit my aversion to the idea.

Now referring to food as "holes" has a long pedigree - donut holes were a staple of my childhood - but Hardee's is using the name "Biscuit Holes" as sort of a placeholder while they try to convince customers to better it.

Hardee's has a mobile web site with the URL www.nameourholes.com which, to say the least, sounds a little strange. Fans have responded with names like "B-Holes" and "Heavenly Balls."

You can see where this is going.

The mobile element to this naming effort samples the "man on the street" ad philosophy. Stickers on the packaging drive consumers to the site, which really makes this naming for the Facebook generation: "'We view our 'young, hungry guy' customers as people who are going to do things instantaneously, so mobile seems a natural' medium for CKE" says one CKE Restaurants executive.

The slight problem here is that the Facebook generation seems to have taste issues, and the outgrowth of the Name Our Holes campaign has been disgust on the part of the blogosphere.

We're seeing names like "creamy sweet holes," "hole munchers," and "dingle balls" while Hardee's is chuckling right along with their tagline "They sound wrong. But taste so right."

Adage calls this a Carl Jr. inspired "smutfest" and offers us a disturbing look at future ads.

Burger King, however, is also taking the same kind of flack for its "Super Seven Incher" advertisement which looks like it was cooked up in a frat house.

In light of all this, the PopWatch blog has announced that "Subtlety Is Dead." I must agree.

Technorati Tags: Biscuit Holes, Biscuit Holes Naming Contest, Super Seven Incher Ad, CKE Restaurants Product Naming, Burger King Marketing

GM Struggles to Corral Popular Penske Naming With Saturn Brand

William Lozito — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 08:41:25 -0600

Today's Wall Street Journal reminds me of the fact that sometimes two big names can be a mixed blessing.

Here I am thinking of the Saturn and Penske combination that has been created by celebrity driver and businessman Roger Penske's Penske Automotive Group with its purchase of GM's Saturn brand name.

An upsurge in interest in Saturn cars by Penske fans has been initially seen as a result of the deal, but GM is currently asking the (very relieved) Saturn dealers not to trumpet the name too loudly lest it dilute the beleaguered Saturn brand. GM still has a major interest here, as they will still make the Aura, VUE, and Outlook for the next 2 years, but will discontinue the Astra and Sky.

Penske, for his part, might outsource production to Renault Samsung Motors of Korea. In addition, Penske has also hinted that he might introduce an electric car under the Saturn name.

Penske has already agreed to keep the Saturn "look," stating that it has a certain "brand value," which most everyone understands to have a very loyal following.

The key, I believe, is to not only to keep the look, but to go back to the integrity of the meaning behind the brand itself.

For example, Penske shouldn't do to Saturn what GM did to Saab. Essentially, Saab was made more boring by GM making it much less exotic and Swedish.

Consider, on the other hand, Range Rover, which has changed hands a few times (for better or worse), but still has its own unique brand equity.

The simple question the people at Penske should ask is this: would they create a "Penske" mid-range sedan? If the answer is no, they need to compartmentalize the names as much as possible.

Frankly, Saturn itself is a brand in rehabilitation after GM did its best to mainstream it.

Technorati Tags: Saturn, Saturn Brand Name, Penske, GM Branding, GM Brands

NY MTA Declares Open Season on Subway naming - Barclays Bags Brooklyn

William Lozito — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 08:07:44 -0600

The New York Times seems a little anxious over the fact that London-based Barclay's Bank has attached its name to "the nexus of subway stops at Atlantic Avenue, Pacific Street and Flatbush Avenue" at a cost of $4 million.

This is part of the new plan to create a Barclay's Center (the new sports stadium for the New Jersey Nets) in the area by Atlantic Yards and essentially declares open season on the New York subway when it comes to naming rights.

The New York Times continues to state its amazement, writing "if a company can pay to get its name on any station, a New Yorker might wonder what's next: Coca-Cola Presents 59th Street-Columbus Circle?"

Well, yes. The Metropolitan Transport Authority (MTA) is even open to the idea of Taco Bell renaming Grand Army Station.

The New York Times' Freakomics blog also asks if the next step is "The "Bill Golden Gates Bridge," while jokingly suggesting that Subway should pay New York for getting all that free publicity.

As pointed out on Minyanville, "The possibilities are almost endless: There are 468 stations along the system's 26 lines and 722 miles of track. Advertisers already turn the inside of the subway's 6,400 cars into rolling billboards."

Interestingly, Minyanville also notes that when the subway was opened in 1904 it was meant to be ad-free.

The bloggers over in Chicago have already figured out what the Chicago Transport Authority (CTA) can do with some of the stops in that city, offering us nuggets like:

Belmont LifeLube station

18th Street Blick station

Clark/Division Viagra stop

Diversey Starbucks stop

Addison Axe station

Over in the UK, a more sober analysis points out that "There is a Barclay Square in London and a Barclay Street close to where the Twin Towers once stood in lower Manhattan" so the name itself shouldn't be a big shock to New Yorkers.

However, while everyone in the UK knows Barclay's Bank, few in New York do.

This will definitely change.

Technorati Tags: Barclay's Center, New York Subway, Barclay's Station, Subway Naming

Back from the Auto Naming No-Man's Land, The Taurus Is Back!

William Lozito — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 08:05:27 -0600

The Ford Taurus is back after the new CEO Alan Mulally decided to resurrect the name after asking Ford executives in 2006 "How many billions of dollars does it cost to build brand loyalty around a name?"

This is exactly the question I would have liked to ask them!

He instructed his engineers to go ahead and "make the coolest vehicle that you can possibly make (and name it the Taurus)," and the result is now on the road.

The press likes it, as does pretty much anyone who sees it.

But the interesting thing to note is that the car is not the mid-range, erstwhile "flying potato" of the early 1990s. This is an upscale, full size luxury sedan priced between $27,000 and $38,000.

Autoblog calls it the "once and future king" and takes us down memory lane from the very first Taurus (1985) all the way to its demise in 2006. They also remind us that Ford briefly revived the Taurus name on the 500 in 2007, and that it went from "America's hope to America's rental lots."

Now, you will soon be able to get the Taurus SHO (Super High Output), which one Ford executive calls the "flagship sedan."

Although, to get one of these with all the bells and whistles, you're looking at an even higher price tag of $41,000.

The San Francisco Ford, Lincoln, Mercury blog says that "convincing consumers that the new Taurus is a Taurus is one thing; making them fork over 40 grand for one is another. Both are hurdles Ford will have to overcome to make the car a success in the market."

Applying the Taurus name to an upscale automobile is a big risk. The Taurus was the ultimate mid-range car - Detroit's answer to the Camry, not the Lexus.

Why would somebody want to pay luxury prices for a brand name that is indelibly associated with good value?

I don't know how this will play out for Ford, but for me, it will definitely be exciting to see the Taurus back on the road again.

Technorati Tags: Taurus, Ford Taurus, Auto Naming, Car Names, Ford Naming

Is Steve Jobs Responsible for the Apple iPhone 3GS Name Change?

William Lozito — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 08:58:46 -0600

The entire blogosphere seems to be wondering if Steve Jobs himself changed the name of the new iPhone from iPhone 3G S to iPhone 3GS.

All references to the former name are off the website, but no formal announcement was made, nor was a press release ever issued. Even the company's partners were not given a heads up.

One thing is for sure, it will definitely make it easier for journalists and bloggers, because creating the plural of 3G S leads us to the ridiculously awkward 3G Ss.

3GSs just seems easier to write and read, doesn't it?

The change was first noted in a press release quoting Steve Jobs as saying one million iPhone 3GSs have been sold, leading most of us to think that Jobs is behind this name change.

Some feel that this is an SEO issue, although this technically changes next to nothing on Google. It has also been speculated that the a logo's odd use of the 's' may have had something to do with the change.

Additionally, there may have been a trademark concern: "3G" is generic (as myTouch 3G illustrates), and "S" is generic, but 3GS can be protected.

I too see the hand of Jobs behind this. Surely only someone as powerful as he could order a change mid-launch? Forget about the red tape, he just decided to make the switch on his first day back on the job.

So iPhone 3GS it is. Welcome back Mr. Jobs.

Technorati Tags: 3GS, iPhone 3GS, Apple 3GS, Steve Jobs, iPhone Name Change

Kodak Takes Away Our Kodachrome Film and Brand Naming

William Lozito — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 08:06:06 -0600

Kodak's Kodachrome color film is being retired after 74 years and there is much nostalgia for the brand name across the blogosphere, not least because of the famous Paul Simon song where he pleads "Mama don't take my Kodachrome away."

I note that despite the film's pedigree as the preferred film for the pro and amateur alike, very few people actually use the stuff anymore - even non digital photographers seem to have switched over to Fuji's Velvia, which may sound like a low-fat butter, but is actually "a contraction of Velvet Media."

Now, there's only one place in America that can even develop the Kodachrome film.

The Business Pundit blog calls this a "necessary but sad" retirement, while Doug Plummer's blog points out that "The film now joins the ranks of the Daguerreotype, Albumen, Kallitype, Palladiotype, Ozobrome, Artigue, Autochrome, Bromoil, and Polaroid," all brand names with great history and nostalgic value, but none which are still in use.

Most of us know Kodachrome not only from the song, but also from the famous 1985 National Geographic picture of the Afghan Girl, which was later updated by photographer Steve McCurry seventeen years later using Kodak Professional Ektachrome Film E100VS.

So what's the big deal?

Well, the name has stuck. It is catchy enough be included in a song lyric and it has been carefully associated with every spectrum of photography in the U.S.

Even though it accounts for less than one percent of Kodak's business, it is easily one of the most recognizable product names they stock - excuse me - used to stock.

Technorati Tags: Kodachrome, Kodachrome Brand Name, Kodak Product Naming, Film Naming, Photography Branding, Fuji Velvia

Will Apple Get Touchy About HTC's myTouch 3G Cell Phone Naming?

William Lozito — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 13:28:17 -0600

The HTC Android G1 has become much more "touchy feely" with its new "myTouch 3G" phone naming.

This replaces the Android G1 and is the second incarnation of the long awaited "Google Phone."

The name is meant to make people recall that it is made by you, for you, as it is completely customizable. It is designed to be an "elite" and "mainstream" device that should compete with the iPhone and the Pre. It also moves the naming away from the G1 which has its shortcomings.

Keep in mind that it will have to compete with other pretenders selling Android phones - eighteen of them by the end of the year, according to Google.

It also doesn't help that the name looks and sounds so much like the iPod Touch, which many users already call the iTouch.

There is no doubt that the myTouch 3G is far better product naming than the G1, but it also shaves things pretty close to Apple. It wouldn't be a big surprise if Apple attempted to claim that when it comes to mobile devices, they own the i, me, my... Touch space.

Technorati Tags: HTC, Cell Phone Naming, myTouch 3G, iTouch, iPhone

GM Shouldn't Change Its Company Name!

William Lozito — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 11:05:42 -0600

GM has been the butt of many jokes lately, with some referring to it as Generous Motors, Government Motors, General Makeover, etc...

Conventional wisdom is that General Motors should change its name.

I disagree.

Chrysler is a company name and a car name. Ford is a company name and a car name. But GM is first and foremost a company name.

Yes, there are the GMC trucks and vans, but in my opinion when a consumer goes to buy a Chevy or a Buick, they don't have the GM name in mind, but instead are shopping for a specific model. For instance, they are thinking of the iconic Corvette or Silverado or Traverse.

Who remembers what Nissan was called before it was Nissan? Remember Datsun?

Who remembers what the company BP was previously called? I bet not many. It was BPAmoco after the merger with Amoco, which by the way was formerly Standard Oil of Indiana.

Who remembers what South Korean LG was previously called? Who even remembers their first products to land on the U.S. shores - some cheap, low-end microwaves branded Lucky Goldstar.

We all have short memories, since we are bombarded with loads of new information on a daily basis:

The average adult sees 247 commercial messages a day.

There are over 45,000 items in a typical supermarket with more brands, sub-brands and line extensions being introduced every day.

There is an interesting approach for GM to consider:

When BPAmoco was dropped for BP, the tagline "Beyond Petroleum" was added.

When Lucky Goldstar became LG, it adopted the "Life's Good" tagline.

Our memories are short, we are easily distracted and therefore I think GM should keep its name, but overtime, give it new meaning. A simple off the cuff example I gave in a recent AP interview was that GM could stand for Greater Mileage since they will be introducing smaller cars and electric powered vehicles.

I'm sure it would not be difficult to come up with some wonderful taglines that play off the GM acronym.

How about Good Motors? It leverages the well-known Mr. Goodwrench and has simplicity, honesty, authenticity and relevance going for it.

What positive ideas do you have for the GM acronym?

Technorati Tags: GM, Rename GM, Name Change, Taglines, Life's Good, BPAmoco

Intel Returns to the Core of its Brand Naming Nomenclature

William Lozito — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 10:08:39 -0600

Intel's new Core i3, i5 and i7 branding is a much needed simplification of its brand naming nomenclature, which I've commented on before.

A spokesman for the company said that it is "important to note that these are not brands but modifiers to the Intel Core brand that signal different features and benefits."

The Lynnfield processor for desktops will feature either Core i5 or Core i7; Arrandale will be launched as Core i3 but will soon embrace Core i5 and Core i7; and Clarkdale will be available in Core i3 and Core i5 brands.

Meanwhile, the Centrino name will be retired as a PC brand but find new life in the realm of Wi-Fi and WiMax products.

Celeron will hang around for "entry-level" computing, Pentium for "basic" computing and the Atom processor will exist for "devices ranging from netbooks to smartphones."

In short, the company spokesman said, "For PC purchasing, think in terms of good-better-best with Celeron being good, Pentium better, and the Intel Core family representing the best we have to offer."

As a result, the main focus of the company's branding will be on the Core brand processor.

Sylvie Barak says on TweakTown that this is actually a "confusing mess" that doesn't cut down on the bolus of brands that intel has saddled itself with.

Engadgeteer, however, is wondering what they will call the new octal-core high-end server processor...the Core i8?

I applaud the focus on "Core," but wonder what will happen to the Intel Inside strategy that made Intel the first chip company to become a well-known, top of mind technology brand.

Technorati Tags: Intel, Intel Naming, Core Brand Naming, Intel Core Brand, Pentium Brand, Celeron Brand

Facebook URLs: Your Brand Name May Be Going Fast!

William Lozito — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 08:45:45 -0600

At 12:01 AM EST this Saturday the great race to secure your Facebook URL is on and the stakes are high.

This will allow people to transpose their real names onto their Facebook URL, allowing you to swap "www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=123456789" with "www.facebook.com/John.Doe," for example.

This new ID will make your page more Google friendly, making you easier to track by creating better organic search results, more visibility and ultimately, better brand recall.

The Personal Branding blog flatly says that this is a "requirement" for personal branding. And maybe it should be, especially when one takes into account the potential trademark issues.

The Legal Technology Insider is a little worried about this, however:

According to Joanne Bone, head of Intellectual Property & Information Technology at Irwin Mitchell: "Due to the user generated nature of Facebook, allowing your trademark to be used by others could present a range of costly problems ranging from trademark infringement to defamation. While this can be seen as a unique opportunity, it may well present some very serious problems for trademark owners. You do not want to find that your brand has been 'hijacked' by someone with no connection to you and put at the end of one of the personal URLs.

Trademark owners only have until Saturday, June 13, to submit a form protecting their registered trademark.

This seems like a no-brainer if you have a trademark to protect, and if your brand is not registered, I suggest you burn the midnight oil this weekend and snag the name before somebody else does. The catch is that if you are not already on Facebook you'll have to log on with somebody else's details to protect your brand name.

At least one analyst says that while protecting your name on Facebook is a good idea, you need to "control the flow" as far as social media is concerned. This means focusing more on your own URL and not placing too much emphasis on social networks like Facebook and Twitter.

He really does make a good point. Far too few companies have their own brand name as their URL, which should be made more of a priority if search results drive a significant portion of their business.

Still, I'd hate to see my brand name, or my personal name, get into a competitor's hands.

Technorati Tags: Facebook, Facebook URL, Facebook Domain Name, Company URL, Company Domain Name