“What’s in a name? That which we call a rose, By any other name would smell as sweet.” That may be fine soliloquy for an affluent, young woman standing on a moonlit balcony. But it’s no way to make a profit. Picking a name for a new product or a new brand may be the most important decision you ever make.

We’ve all seen products with unlikely names rocket to brand stardom. We’ve also seen products with seemingly reasonable names fall into brand oblivion. Of course, your product’s position in the market, price point, distribution, marketing budget all have a role to play in your success, but if you start out with a bad name, you could be defeating yourself before you even get into the ring.

When choosing a name, marketers must remember is that the actual goal is a ‘brand name’ not just a product name. Nothing can succeed in marketing unless the name is right. Having the best product, best packaging, best advertising and best marketing strategy will not bring success if your name is wrong. Remember Yuengling Beer. Of course not, but being the first registered brewery in America still couldn’t overcome a bad name. Then, there’s Kiwi Airlines. Who’s bright idea was it to name an airline after a flightless bird? Needless to say, Kiwi didn’t get off the ground until it changed its name to Value Jet.

"Nobody counts the number of ads you run; they just remember the impression you make." 
— William Bernbach 

To many corporate decision-makers, names don’t really matter. It’s all about the product, the price, the service or the distribution. Yet names often make a critical difference. In the example above, Kiwi Airlines probably sounded like a good idea considering the company’s New Zealand ties, but when applied to the airline category, it was destined to tailspin into bankruptcy.

Brand and product names cannot be chosen in a vacuum, and instead must be looked at in relation to their specific categories if you ever hope to acquire brand dominance in that category. For example, a new brand name for a golf ball cannot be compared to brand names from airlines, automobiles, bowling balls, nor even with other golf equipment. First and foremost, the new brand name must be considered in relation to other brand names in the golf ball category.

Remember, brands are built in the consumer's mind, and names can make or break your success. The right name can help you reserve a place in the customer’s mind for years to come, but the wrong name can permanently shut the door on your success.

So, be mindful when choosing a name. Or else, thy customer may sayeth, “Yon brand speaks, yet it says nothing.”

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