Our objective is always the same: An ownable and distinctive name that meets established criteria. To get there, we follow a proven set of steps and procedures.
Is naming a creative endeavor? Only in part. Psychology and discipline factor in, too. So does strategy. A sound strategy helps to focus the naming effort and ensure candidates that align with the brand’s foundation and business goals.
We survey related category names that will enable us to (1) analyze competitive naming strategies, (2) generate candidates that are not in current usage by competitors or other companies, and (3) position the new name competitively.
Rangefinding increases the proportion of on-target candidates we generate later. It also helps to ensure the smoothest possible process. Our focus on creating a small, quick sample set of candidates fosters lively discussion without particular regard for whether the candidates seem “right” or not.
A multi-point summary of functional criteria and creative directions guides name exploration and, later, validation. This step ensures that candidates are appropriate to the category, personality, image, and long-range strategy of the brand.
In line with criteria, we generate a large number of candidates reflecting multiple creative directions and linguistic approaches. From these, we select a limited number for one-on-one review, focused discussion, and detailed guidance.
Using what we learn from the previous round, we develop a second round of candidates. While often as extensive as the first, this round is more creatively and strategically focused. At this stage, we may place name candidates into sample creative executions for added clarity.
With additional refinement, a limited number of finalists are approved for registration and use. While we conduct preliminary online, URL and trademark searches of all select candidates, we recommend submitting multiple options to our client’s trademark counsel to help ensure a successful outcome.
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