A great brand needs a great name
Startups come to us at all points on their journey. Some exist only as an idea in their founder’s imagination, others might come with a successful product, but a misaligned brand name. Of course many arrive with a strong name intact, seeking a fresh brand system or identity update to carry them forward, but today we'll be talking about the startups that need naming or re-naming.
There are three reasons we usually have to re-name a company: trademark disputes, overcomplicated names, or names that are too descriptive and don't add anything in terms of excitement or imagination. Let's look at these three scenarios in more detail.
Renaming a brand because of a boring descriptive name
A good brand evokes an emotional reaction. The brand name does not need to do all the heavy lifting to describe what a company does, just like the logomark doesn't need to tell the full story of what a brand does either. All the pieces of the brand system need to work together though and sometimes a descriptive name can make the whole thing fall flat.
Example: Renaming EasyCare to Sesame
An example of a company we renamed because it was too descriptive was renaming EasyCare to Sesame. On paper when they first created the name for their startup I'm sure they were very excited about how short and sweet EasyCare was. It says exactly what they do, it's short and sweet. Yet after living with the name for a short period of time they could feel that they were outgrowing it quickly. The name wasn't memorable, it didn't paint a picture, it didn't contribute towards the emotional connection they were trying to make with their audience.
Naming Strategy for Sesame
Sesame offers a radically improved healthcare experience by removing the middleman- health insurance companies. By moving towards a direct-pay model, they make quality hassle-free care accessible to everyone giving a better value to both patients and providers.
The Chosen Name
The word 'sesame' was inspired by the phrase "Open Sesame" and the concept of being open, direct and welcoming, these are traits of the platform that we are looking to highlight.
Let's use it in a sentence:
When i want to see a doctor I just use Sesame.
Sesame is cheaper than using health insurance.
Renaming a brand because of an overcomplicated name
Lots of times a name is just a bit too long, it isn't as simple as it can be. At our agency Condensed, we always try for simpicity, (it's kind of our thing). Steve Jobs once famously said:
Simple can be harder than complex: You have to work hard to get your thinking clean to make it simple. But it’s worth it in the end because once you get there, you can move mountains.
This applies to all aspects of branding but double for naming. You don't have a lot of space in a url or a logo wall, or an advertisement for a mouthfull of a name, also people's brains like things that are simple because there's so much noise out there.
One famous simplification was the renaming of The Facebook to just Facebook. Seems pretty obvious, but sometimes it just takes someone outside of the founders to point out the opportunity.
Example: Renaming Shop My Shelf to ShopMy
Naming Strategy for Elemental
The consulting industry is highly opaque. Traditional firms operate as “solution shops”. Professional services come in an expensive, prestigious package and it can be hard to determine how budgets are used.
The Chosen Name
When Elemental came to us they had a working name of 'Advisor Shop'. We chose to go in a more creative direction, proposing names that are short, memorable, and describe the core attributes of the company.
When something is 'elemental', it is essential. It alludes to being indelible, a quality we want associated with the platform.
Use it in a sentence
Elemental makes it simple to engage with a professional services firm.
Make it easy, go with Elemental.
Tagline
"Exceptional Expertise, Simplified"
Learn More
- View Elemental Case Study
- Visit the Elemental Website (opens in a new tab)
Keepers
Naming Strategy For Keepers
Keepers is the beautiful shining star of the CPG coffee brands. Most consumer packaged coffees are a little boring (think La Colombe or Stumptown), we knew we wanted to create a brand that positioned them as fun and different. The name needed to feel warm, even nostalgic.
The Chosen Name
The name 'Keepers' is like the girl you bring home to meet mom – she's a keeper. It's something worth holding onto, something authentic.
Use it in a sentence
Give me a Keepers.
I love drinking Keepers.
Tagline
"Summer In A Can"
Learn More
- View Keepers Case Study
- Visit the Keepers Website (opens in a new tab)
Abe
Naming Strategy for Abe
Abe, an online betting platform, came to us with the working name "Pop Odds". Our goal was to come up with a name that helped establish them as the trusted platform for comparing odds and placing bets.
In an industry that is known for dark clutter, this new transparent and accessible platform demystifies sports betting by providing intuitive, powerful tools and unbiased content to help bettors bet smarter.
The Chosen Name
The name 'Abe' symbolizes honesty and transparency, two things missing from the world of sports betting. Abe is also an acronym for Asynchronous Betting Engine, which describes the technology behind the platform.
Tagline
"Bet Smarter with Abe"
Learn More
- View Abe Case Study
- Visit the Abe Website (opens in new tab)
Ozmo
Naming Strategy for Ozmo
Like most names we come up with, we favor short and memorable words that convey brand personality. At its core, Ozmo is a smart cup that tracks your hydration. We wanted to give the cup a very personal name that was also relevant to the science of hydration. Ozmo aims to inspire busy individuals to understand their hydration and its impact on their body and the environment.
The Chosen Name
‘Ozmo’ is derived from the word osmosis which is nature‘s way of keeping our cels in balance. We get thirsty because our body is telling us that our cells do not have enough fluid, we drink water to restore that equilibrium. It’s the foundation of a healthy life.
Besides the scientific significance, we also wanted to personify the hydration system with a short name catchy name. We wanted Ozmo to sound like a companion that’s there to give you quick reminders when you are in need of a drink of water.
Use it in a Sentence
My Ozmo keeps me hydrated.
The Ozmo cup changed the way I think about hydration.
Tagline
"Ingenious Hydration"
Learn More
- View Ozmo Case Study
- Watch Ozmo Video (opens in new tab)
Boundless Adventures
Naming Strategy for Boundless Adventures
The Boundless team had a good grasp on what feelings and personality the brand should have. Back when they launched, there were no big-name zipline/ropes courses that people could trust for an amazing outdoor adventure experience. We wanted to create a brand that felt like a big national theme park, even though they were just starting out with a single location.
The Chosen Name
Boundless is a feeling you get when you are up in a high ropes course in the trees. We wanted a weightless + fun yet bold + powerful name that would give away the promise of adventure.
The name 'Boundless Adventures' is encouraging and aspirational, bringing to mind freedom and the feeling of being weightless or elevated.
Use it in a Sentence
Let's go to Boundless Adventures.
We're going to Boundless this weekend.
Taglines
"The Ultimate Treetop Adventure"
"Be Boundless"
Learn More
- View Boundless Case Study
- Visit Boundless Website (opens in new tab)
Cut&Crafted
Naming Strategy for Cut&Crafted
Cut&Crafted organizes curated maker events and pop-ups with unforgettable experiences packed with great food, innovative drinks, and unmatched quality handmade goods. Originally Brooklyn Makers, their previous name had proved too limiting, as the business was expanding beyond Brooklyn and wasn't focusing only on makers but rather on full event experiences.
The Chosen Name
The name 'Cut&Crafted' is an action-name, which makes you feel the process makers go through without using the actual word 'maker'.
Use it in a Sentence
Cut&Crafted has all the best new makers.
I'm going to the Cut&Crafted market.
Learn More
- View Cut&Crafted Case Study
- Visit Cut&Crafted Website (opens in new tab)
nüm nüm
Naming Strategy for nüm nüm
When the founder came to us, the working name of the product (in demo stages at that point) was Jellyous Jellies. The name was problematic for a breakfast food because it made people think of jelly or jello. It was actually something totally different than any existing breakfast food in the United States, but rather a healthy vegan pudding rooted in Southeast Asia. So we set out to find a name that didn't conjure up any existing types of foods and invited curiosity.
The Chosen Name
The name 'nüm nüm' sounds fun, snacky and delicious. It’s something you want to tell your friends about. It’s new and intriguing, playful enough to catch your eye. This name gives you the idea that there's something different about the product.
The name also catches your eye because we were able to work two smiley faces into the logomark by including umlats over the letter ‘U’ in both words. The european pronounciation that gets applied because of the umlats is also preferrable to nŭm nŭm which sounds too much like a baby brand.
Use it in a Sentence
nüm nüm is delicious.
For a healthy snack I prefer a nüm nüm cup.
Tagline
"Rethink Breakfast"
Learn More
original photography by Jeremy Bishop retouching by Condensed
