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Naming Conventions

Naming Conventions

By: shelliwright OffLine

On: 12/17/2008 1:53 PM

Posted To: The Circuit

Technology companies, more than any other, are constantly evolving new services, which brings with it the need for lots of names. But do these need to be brands?

Recently we sent out a proposal which included pricing and differences for two different platforms, called "Classic Community"  and "Tailored Community". Obviously these are not clever or sexy names. But the client had no questions. He got it.

When naming a service meant for the consumer market, branding is essential. Names like "Google" or "Bebo" become the brand and don't have to explain what you do with it.

But in a B2B environment, is the same true?

So I pose a question to those who sell technology, as well as those who "shop" for it. Which serves you better...
- simple and clear (call it what it is)
OR
- branded (clever and memorable)

There are pros and cons to both. Which makes your life easier?

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Comments:

spera220 said:

While I like something that is catchy it should also be simple and easy to remember. If it flows easily it makes it memorable for me. However, I'm a big fan of acronyms but I agree with Nic that it can get confusing for customers and even us. But something like SoCo, love it. It does have a full meaning and you still get something catchy.
12/18/2008 2:24 PM

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drippetoe said:

When we started MOVO it made sense as to what we do. MOVO - Mobile Voice. Those are two communication mediums MOVO offered for marketers. I don't like classic and tailored because it sounds like we are a clothing company. We already have branded Elavate. So why cant we do Elavate Standard Edition and Elavate Custom Edition?? Elavate Idea Generation for Soco?? SoCo - Southern Comfort already owns this branding.
12/18/2008 1:56 PM

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mvacondios said:

I agree Danielli. I think we can accomplish both.
12/18/2008 10:37 AM

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dalejos said:

Do purposeful and clever have to be mutually exclusive? Like many things, it's about finding a balance. Not TOO purposeful or straightforward to the point of being generic and unable to differentiate. Not TOO clever or shocking (for lack of a better word) to the point of becoming meaningless.
12/18/2008 10:29 AM

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mvacondios said:

I'm going to be one of those guys who respond to a question with more questions. How do we want to be seen in the marketplace? Are we a company that provides solutions that drive purpose? If so, then our branding strategy should reflect that approach so “call it what it is.” Are we a provider of clever and memorable solutions? Clever and memorable can sometimes mean you’re covering up for a product with little substance. Ok here’s another question. Do we know what our competitors are doing? If we want to separate ourselves from the competition, it’s always a good idea to know how they are naming their products and services and do the opposite. At the end of the day, do you want to leave that prospect with the impression that our solutions are purposeful or clever?
12/18/2008 8:27 AM

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dbevarly said:

Government loves acronyms. So call it what it is, just find a clever abbreviation. Still, catchy new words can stick and create a brand. I find myself saying often (and hating it) all the variations of Twitter, Tweet, Twit, etc. I agree 100% w/ Emery though, it takes dedicated resources to promote those names so that they "bubble" up in the vernacular.
12/17/2008 5:44 PM

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dalejos said:

Branding is always important. What matters more is determining exactly what you need to brand. If the company itself is indeed the product or service (for instance, MySpace, Bebo and Twitter), then catchiness, sexiness, “branded-ness,” etc. (coupled with meaning) become crucial, especially in an increasingly competitive landscape. However, if you are a company that offers multiple products or services, the need to “brand” each one isn’t as important IF you’ve got a strong company brand to begin with. I left out Google from the above example because not only is Google a search engine, it’s also a company. Now consider some of Google’s offerings: Gmail, Google Docs, Google Notebook, Gchat and Blogger. Pretty straightforward names of pretty popular solutions. Brand value doesn’t come from the product/service itself, but from the company that produces it. So when naming new products or services, it all comes down to being simple, smart, consistent and meaningful. There’s definitely room for creativity and intrigue (Apple iPod, Nike Shox), but they’re only one part of the success equation.
12/17/2008 5:22 PM

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hculbe said:

I agree with the note and humor (warts?) above. I think the nomenclature design needs to be identified as we might with a house (Victorian, Craftsman Bungalow, Igloo). Then the theme and long tail furnishings must follow that design vision. Laura Ashley and a Victorian settee look very funny in an igloo!
12/17/2008 5:10 PM

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memery said:

There are certainly pros and cons to each. Companies that select what appear to be nonsensical naming conventions (or [goofier] foreign words that seem to invariably all translate back to the English words for "sword" or "tribe") must spend cash to promote them. Spend enough, and back it up with great products and services, and you might become a verb or noun, or both (Google). If you're not willing to invest quite so heavily in that kind of schematic, easily digestible names get my nod.
12/17/2008 2:58 PM

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westnic said:

just a few things to think about: - continuity is key. Name one SoCo...the other services should fall within the same guidelines. BeBo, MoWo, VaSa (i think this sounds silly but we must maintain continuity). Keep the words simple, strong and maybe add a coolness factor?? -make it short and sweet. When was the last time you referred to an SNC as Social Network Community Module?? (That's the slide I can't seem to get the sales team to stop using) A long name will turn into an acronym. It took me a while to understand the difference between all the acronyms. Imagine how confusing it must get for a customer. I think short and sweet works.
12/17/2008 2:55 PM

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