Blog Archives

Some names are just so simple and right

I love it when I come across a name that is so simple and so appropriate. And what a bonus when it is also properly trademarked and protected. Well it doesn’t happen often but last week when I was digging

Posted in Branding, Consumer Goods, Food Names, International Naming, Name Origins, Sustainable Brand Names, Trademarks

Of Country and Crackers

California – July 30, 2020. I don’t usually lead off with a dateline, but stay with me… Around this time of year, I’m reminded of several things, one of which was a conversation I had with one of my young

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Posted in Branding, Consumer Goods, Famous Quotes, Food Names, Name Origins, Retail, Trademarks

Great British brands of the 1800’s

Cadbury (Year Founded: 1824) Cadbury was founded in 1824 when John Cadbury opened his grocer’s shop in Birmingham. Being a Quaker, he sold only tea, coffee, cocoa, and drinking chocolate. Cadbury’s little shop grew in popularity so much that only seven years

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Posted in Branding, Consumer Goods, Food Names, International Naming, Name Origins, Retail, Trademarks

Trademarks can last a long, long time thanks to Mickey Mouse

When people ask me how long a registered trademark is good for, my glib reply is often “How old is Mickey Mouse?” Unlike patents, which typically expire after 17 years or so, trademarks can be renewed every few years. How

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Posted in Branding, Consumer Goods, International Naming, Naming Education, Naming News, Naming Resources, Retail, Sustainable Brand Names, Trademarks

Brands that grew out of adversity

As the world goes through some tough times right now, it is interesting to see which major brands grew during depressions and wars. Surely there are some lesson to be learned here – not the least of which is press

Posted in Branding, Consumer Goods, Drinks, International Naming, Name Origins, Naming News, Strange Names, Trademarks

Corona beer branding nightmare. Our suggestion.

Great Moments in Naming History This one started out when my colleague Greg sent me a link to an article titled “No, It’s Not the ‘Corona Beer Virus.’ Lawd.” I replied “Damn they must be fuming…what marketing spin would you

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Posted in Branding, Consumer Goods, Drinks, International Naming, Sustainable Brand Names, Trademarks

+ 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

When one letter is sufficient in compound names

Take for example the name : Impulsports. We read at such great speed these days we don’t often notice good spelling or bad spelling. In our minds we do not even notice the phonology – let alone the correct morphology

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

Worldwide Trademark Clearance

Do your names work in other countries?  How about worldwide?  Well that is a very daunting task for most product managers to achieve – in fact almost impossible to achieve guaranteed clearance without a lot of money. But you can,

Posted in Branding, International Naming, Name Origins, Naming Education, Trademarks

Confusing drug names are alarming!

Recently I was within earshot of Paramedics in the UK repeating the incorrect drug type over the phone to the awaiting Accident and Emergency department. They announced Clobazam  instead of Clonazepam. Thankfully, I was still with the patient and jumped

Posted in Biotech Naming, Branding, International Naming, Strange Names, Trademarks