Blog Archives

X-Twitter: One of greatest branding errors ever

I remember when the Japanese car company Datsun decided to upset their loyal fans and customers worldwide to change their name to Nissan, simply because of their minor difficulty explaining it always to their 250 or so major board members

Posted in Branding, Consumer Goods, Name Changes, Naming News, Rotten Names

A Virus by any other name ….

As the world’s first major pandemic in over hundred years rages on, consumers and the press have adopted two popular shorthand names for it: Corona Virus or Covid Virus. Nowadays the two names are used interchangeably, but which one is

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Posted in Biotech Naming, Consumer Goods, International Naming, Naming Education, Naming News, Rotten Names, Strange Names

This is not the way to create lasting branding prestige!

Hotix(TM) or Hiitox or maybe  even Hotix-Pro(TM) – these product names have been flying across my screen all week. All pertaining to be the latest Swedish small wall heater plug-in the socket. All with the same photo image. Why would

Posted in Branding, Consumer Goods, Industrial Products Naming, Name Origins, Naming News, Retail, Rotten Names, Strange Names

+ Names are often a -ve

Just as we happily bid farewell to a bad me too product called Google+, new video services come online called Disney + and Apple +.  Walt Disney and Steve Jobs must be turning in their graves. Doesn’t management get that

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Posted in Branding, Consumer Goods, Domain Names, International Naming, Name Origins, Naming Education, Naming News, Rotten Names, Sustainable Brand Names, Trademarks

ibotta – What an awful name for a shopping app

Every so often a name comes along that actually gets some publicity or has the money to promote itself on TV. I was horrified when I first saw this name on a TV commercial.  Wow. Launching a new consumer shopping

Posted in Branding, Consumer Goods, Domain Names, International Naming, Name Origins, Naming Education, Retail, Rotten Names, Strange Names

“‘Amish’? I thought you said ‘Hamish’…”

In my previous post, I noted an example of a name that is so bad that it has a reverse psychology effect of leading people to think the product itself must be very good. My example was Hellman’s mayonnaise. Athol

Posted in Branding, Drinks, Food Names, International Naming, Rotten Names, Strange Names

Best Western – very disappointing brand identity makeover

It has been a few months since I made my long road cross country trip so I have had time to cool off and consider my position on the logo and image makeover of the Best Western chain of lodges.

Posted in Branding, Consumer Goods, Hospitality & Travel, Name Changes, Rotten Names, Uncategorized

Mooboo – The Best Bubble Tea for You

“MooBoo Bubble Tea” has been hitting the headlines lately but not as a great product name. Instead there are the controversial issues regarding alleged unpaid hours issues (thankfully now resolved legally.) I wonder whether this burst the bubble of MooBoo

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Posted in Branding, Consumer Goods, Domain Names, Food Names, Name Origins, Naming Education, Rotten Names, Trademarks

Most execs are doing naming ass backwards

If you are naming your kid or your pet, you think of the names you like and then you pick one. This method works fine because every name you come up with is available, other than a few you eliminate

Posted in Branding, Consumer Goods, Domain Names, Name Origins, Naming Education, Naming News, Naming Resources, Rotten Names, Strange Names, Technology Names, Trademarks

A123 Systems – Superb technology…any old name will do?

Many an executive has said (or at least thought) that any old name will do since they have such great technology or such a great solution, or even such a great sales force? But what happens when you grow up?

Posted in Branding, Industrial Products Naming, Rotten Names

Recent Naming Articles

Brand insider articles from an experienced marketing team.

Mar 2023: Pricing your naming project

Oct 2021: The devil is in the trademark details

Mar 2019:The Power and Value of a Trademark

Jan 2019:4 common branding mistakes

Oct 2018: You named it What?

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See his industry naming commentary (where he takes a critical look at names) via the blog on this site