Law #9 – The Law of the Name – In the long run a brand is nothing more than a name.

“Which is a better name for a product? Alana or Choloromatic?” asked the teacher.

“Alana is shorter and it is easier to spell.” answered the student.

“Very good. Alana is also easier to pronounce both in English and to speakers from other countries. An apple pie company locates in Dallas. Which is a better name?” continued the teacher, “The American Apple Pie Company or the Dallas Apple Pie Company?”

“Both seem fine to me.” replied the student.

“Think.” said the teacher. “One name is better than the other.”

“Well, there is a saying that it is as American as apple pie so I guess the American Apple Pie Company is a better name.”

“Very good. That association also makes the name easier to remember.” continued the teacher. “As stated on page 73 from the book, The 22 Immutable Laws of Branding, the most important branding decision a company can make is choosing a name. In the short term, a brand needs a unique idea or concept to survive. It needs to be first in a new category. It needs to own a word in the mind. But in the long term, the unique idea or concept disappears. All that is left is the difference between your brand name and the brand names of your competitors.”

“What is a good name?” asked the student.

“Good names are easy to remember, easy to pronounce, and easy to spell.”

“Does the name have to describe the product or service?”

“No it does not. It is O.K. if it does, but it does not have to. Some brand names are family names, Coors, Smuckers, Newman's Own, and Perdue. Some names are geographically based, for example, Ipswich Ale or the Brooklyn Beer Company. Some have no relationship to their products. Apple. Nike, or Sony. These companies have established their brands and their names speak for themselves. Choose a good name and a name you like. Once your brand is established it is married to its name. You don't want to waste time and money reestablishing the brand with a new name.”