“Your brand is what other people say about you when you’re not in the room.”
Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon.com
The name represents us to consumers, it’s the first thing they notice and remember, enticing them to purchase. It encapsulates what we believe consumers desire from us—a hidden promise, our desirable traits—because the name is everything. It’s on the front lines, embedded in our logo, product packaging, and every advertisement, and serves as the first element consumers notice. Crafting a name for your brand can be like choosing a name for your child—equally challenging and uncertain. It occupies your thoughts, and in that one name, you want to incorporate all your positive thoughts and intentions to impact consumers.
The name should be:
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Simple and Memorable: It is assumed that the average person uses around 5000 words daily. Choosing a word for your brand that is familiar or reminiscent will make it easily memorable (for example, ‘Špajza’—a brand for a restaurant; a fun and appealing term that is easy to remember, suggesting food in Croatian).
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Avoid Names that Can be Mispronounced: Avoid names with sounds that could be mispronounced, like Croatian letters š, ž, and ć, especially if you plan to enter foreign markets. For instance, while ‘Špajza’ is an excellent name in Croatian, it may not be accepted in other countries where people struggle to pronounce it correctly.
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Check the Meaning of the Name in Dictionaries of the Countries Where You Intend to Launch Your Product and Service: Ford’s PINTO had a disastrous lack of interest in Brazil and much of Latin America. Although the Pinto is a type of horse and the car was named after it, the Pinto has another meaning in the Brazilian Portuguese language that was offensive and undesirable—slang for male genitalia.
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Check Names of Competitors and Available Web Domains: It’s crucial to check competitors’ names for authenticity and to avoid potential legal issues for intellectual property infringement. Copying a successful competitor may seem wise initially, but it could cost you dearly. Also, you risk attaching your brand to a competitor’s bad reputation.
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Check the Possibility of Name Protection (Trademark): Protecting the name as a trademark can bring benefits, such as collateral for loans, building a licensing business, or gaining additional points for subsidy applications.