EVERY so often in Bangkok, I run
into former colleagues.
During such encounters,
as we catch up about our
lives and ask about mutual
acquaintances, it's not
uncommon to learn that
some people have changed
their names for their birthday,
lunar calendar, or following a visit to
a fortune teller.
Thai people love to change their names
(their real names as well as their nicknames)
and they do so in the hope that it will boost
their luck at work, with money, and in their
platonic and romantic relationships.
When it comes to naming a company,
a product or service, though, a different
approach is recommended. Prior to designating
a name, a brand strategy is needed
to provide direction. There are several
things you'll want to define internally i.e.
• What is the brand's unique value
proposition?
• What does the brand promise to
deliver to its customer?
• How will this brand be positioned
relative to competitors?
• What will be the brand's distinctive
message?
• What will be the mood, tone and
characteristics of the brand?
After the above items have been
established, you can start the brainstorming.
As a business owner, I recommend
that you involve key stakeholders in the
exercise, such as your team and existing
and potential customers.
There's no right or wrong name
when brainstorming. There could be
some names that do not resonate with
you personally. Keep in mind that the
brand name and its meaning have to
connect with the potential customer. As a
business operating in Asia, you'll want to
make sure that your brand name is easy
to pronounce and that it does not have a
negative connotation in another language.
There are several ways to create a
name. The first one is a generic name like
cola, mobile phones or milk. The second
way to name is to use the brand's description;
examples of these are Toys R Us and
Internet Explorer. The name says it all.
The third method to naming is called
suggestive. These names are associated
with quality, literally or metaphorically.
Think LinkedIn or Nike (Nike was the
Winged Goddess of Victory in Greek
mythology).
The fourth way is to arbitrary choose
a name. These are real words used in a
different context. Some of these names
could have a loose association to the
brand i.e. Viber, which is the cross-platform
instant messaging and VOIP app.
The fifth way is to name the brand after
its creator or brand ambassador, like Dr.
Martens boots and Swensen's did. When you're considering these types of
names, take into account how
the name will be received
when you expand outside
of your area. Should the
designer or brand ambassador
defect to the competitor,
will the brand be able to
survive the changes?
Once you have a list of many possible
names, you'll want to pare it down to the top
10. Review the names in the face of future
expansion, market changes, brand extensions,
and the test of time. This evaluation
process could drop off several more names.
With the top names remaining, you're
ready to do a dry run. Engage a graphic
designer and create mock-up designs with
your short list. You'll want to experiment
with fonts and colours that match the
brand's personality. If your product will
be in a retail shop, you'll want to consider
the packaging and how it will stand-out
relative to the competition on the shelf.
Once you have settled on the winner,
launch the brand name and use it consistently
across all customer touch points. Monitor
and continue to conduct ongoing research to
ensure your brand name is well-received.
Pacharee Pantoomano-Pfirsch is a Marketing
Consultant at Brand Now, a boutique
marketing and PR agency. When she's
not busy trying on new names for herself,
she enjoys brainstorming with the team to
create brand names for clients. She can be
reached at pacharee@brandnow.asia.
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