Choosing a Brand Name

(To preface this post, a brand that is first to market has an easier time positioning itself in the mind of the consumer, with that being said…)

When it comes to choosing an identity for a company that provides some sort of service, a name can play a major role in setting a company apart from the competition. By looking at two major categories in the international market place, delivery services and Internet search engines, one can see how a name helps capture and replace a word in the mind of the consumer.

Now when a company provides a service, a brand name can be used as a verb. And if a companies name is easier to use than a competitors’, an advantage is created. Think of a company that provides a service, then ask this question, “How does it sound with the word ‘it’ afterwards?” Yahoo it, UPS it, they sound ok, but Google it, and Fedex it roll off the tongue a little easier. Think of some of the other competitors in these categories, AskJeeves and DHL. These brand names don’t work well as verbs either.

A major feat in the branding process of a company is to have the brand name replace or identify the category of which the company resides. To take that one step further and have consumers use the name of a company as a verb helps to create an established brand name and build the brand into the vocabulary of masses.