5 Reasons Why Companies Struggle To Name Their Brand

Why do marketing teams struggle with brand naming? 

Some struggle to find the time. Others don't really want to deal with it. After all, there might be more exciting or productive tasks on the table. Other times, all the ideas or suggestions thrown-out at random don't seem to feel right. (Perhaps because there's no criteria for evaluating them? Ask us about name-decision making if you're interested in learning more.) 

Other times, even if a team has spent the time, it might be spent inefficiently or without structure, which is when frustration and impatience bubble up. Naming shouldn't be that hard, should it? Even for a seasoned namer, it can be. But that's part of what makes us good at it. 

Let's dive into a few top reasons teams struggle when naming their brand: 

1. They don’t know where to look for options. The dictionary or thesaurus is one place to start, and a specialized dictionary or thesaurus is even better. But those resources are just the tip of the iceberg. 
   
   Finding a great brand name isn’t always about flipping through various lexicons to find words. It’s flipping through concepts, and ideas, stories, and metaphors that can lead to unexpectedly delightful, practical, or perfectly descriptive brand names.
   
   A namer will likely have dozens of word lists and resources on hand, and can help you sort through the personas or categories of what your name can be. 
   
   
2. They choose words or ideas that are overused. There are some really, really cool words out there. We're talking the types of words that make a logophile swoon. And chances are, if you come across one of these cool words for your company or product, somebody else has too, so they're usually a no-go. 
   
   For instance, "cascade" is a really cool word, right? "Tapestry" is also kind of unusual and conceptual. And anything with names of stars, planets, or Greek or Roman gods can also be of interest, but it's almost never going to be available from a trademark perspective. Not always -- but usually. 
   
   
3. They try to be like everyone else. Apple worked because it wasn’t like everyone else. If you say you just want to be “like Apple,” you’re not really thinking about you…are you? Currently we are loving the brand Cadence, a company that creates travel containers that has fully leaned into the idea their brand name creates. The URL is even KeepYourCadence.com, peppering in that extra layer to the motif. 
   
   So, what truly makes your brand different?
   
   The story is plain and simple: If you want to be similar to what another brand is doing, it's going to cause confusion, and do you no favors in the long run. Why not take this opportunity to craft something truly own, and fully lean into without feeling like a copy? 
   
   
4. They haven’t spent enough time on naming. An hour-long brainstorm session for name ideas might work if you're naming your team your trivia team. However, if you're diving into brand strategy and verbal identity, you can expect it will take more time. 
   
   Time to ensure something is available. Time to explore possible ideas. Time to inherently lower the risk, and time to present to stakeholders, and get approval. So consider those early thought-starters are jumping off points: perfect to hand-off to a namer, who can then follow the path of where they lead. 
   
   
5. They’re unsure of their brand's persona. Often times, this means there's no there's no alignment on it among key stakeholders. The business idea, the tech, and the team may be there, but someone has got to decide who you are, and how you’re going to talk to your customers.
   
   In an economic ecosystem that's swimming with distractions and baiting for customer attention, how will your brand show up? A vital question to answer to before getting started with the naming process. 
   
   

Are these points something your company, business, or team has encountered? Is there something else that makes naming a struggle? If so, it might be time to step back and look into how a namer can help. 

Start by learning more about the services Zeppelin Naming Consultancy by downloading the service guide.