Our core business is finding and creating brand names. Individual brand names with a lasting value and true future potential. And as every product and company is unique and special, it's not about "one size fits all", but "made to measure is king". No name whatsoever can, will, or should fulfill all possible criteria.
We offer you quality, safety, certainty, and lots of added value.
Words with an impact: My way of branding
As a specialist, my core competence is naming: product, service, and enterprise names. Descriptive as well as trademarkable.
It is not enough to just come up with a fancy idea. This might also be important, but it is only a part of an elaborate process that touches on many fields. When creating and selecting names, a score of criteria needs to be considered:
- Is the name applicable in all relevant markets?
- Does the name fit with the product's or company's strategy?
- What kind of marketing concept can you build on the name?
- How is the pronunciation of the name judged by the target group?
- What is the trademark situation like?
- What kind of trademark protection do you aim at?
- In the first step - together we clarify your objectives and specifications.
- In the second step - we develop names, many names; often in close cooperation with our partner network.
- In the third step - all the names created are filtered according to the initially defined requirements with regard to content and brand properties.
In addition to name development, I offer you a very focused selection of closely related services:
- Brand name systems and name structures for portfolios
- Descriptors, subbrands and category markers
- Slogans and tag lines, creation as well as adaptation
- Checks for linguistic and cultural compatibility
- Name tests, qualitative as well as quantitative
- Trademark research, in cooperation with partners
Works with logic: Name systems
The general objective of a name system is a clear product or portfolio structure that reflects a systematically organized product portfolio. As a consequence, you can gain improved awareness and easy assignment, e.g. from products to product groups or a brand. Of course, this can also distinguish you from your competitors and alleviate future naming tasks.
Before you can reap what you have sown, you have to plough, however. You must analyze the properties and differences of your portfolio to be named, you have to group all fitting units, you must develop strategies and names and so forth. In the end, you can enjoy a logical system.
Overall, this is a complicated process, during design and creation as well as during implementation and deployment. And, of course, there is a limitation: In the future, you have a limited range of potential new names - if you stick to your system.Whether a name system is the right solution for you, depends on a score of criteria, like:
- Can you form well-defined product groups / segments?
- Are you really willing to perform a complicated conversion process?
- Can a new name system in the company actually be introduced?
Projects and references related to name systems
For more than ten years have I run naming and branding projects in a variety of industries. The following projects are especially interesting concerning the topic "name systems":
- IVU – Creation of a logical name system inclusive of portfolio analysis and brand review for a software company.
- Öffentliche Versicherung Braunschweig – Design of a system of four linguistically related client categories for a finance company.
- WMF – Branding of a business unit plus founding of a futureproof name system for the worldwide leader in enterprise coffee makers.
What to do: advice, analyses, name consulting
There are many agencies specialized in brand consulting. Our approach is different. We focus on brand names and the relationship between names and brands. What this means for you is: Whenever it comes to decisions related to a name, be it for a new product, a website, the building of a new brand, or the merger of two companies - we are your partner (also for expert opinions and recommendations). Perhaps you find yourself in one of the following situations:
- "There are several names we must pick from, but we cannot agree upon one."
- "Are there any other feasible ways or is a renaming inevitable?"
- "There are too many names in our portfolio. Which ones should we dump?"
- "Which one of several names has the potential to grow an umbrella brand from it?"
- "How can we devise future guidelines for name introductions?"
- "How can we make sure that in the future, only brand compliant names are released ?"
For more than ten years, I have managed name creation and related consulting projects in manifold branches – from software companies to insurances, from car makers to medtech. I would like to highlight the following projects and clients specifically:
- Bora – Evaluation of intended line names for the kitchen appliance specialist
- Frau + Mutter / kfd – Brand analysis, title development, marketing conceptualization
- Testo – Analysis of brand values of the portable measuring devices market leader
Wordings for China: Brand names abroad
You might ask: "Can I use my name or my brand in the Chinese market successfully or do I have to make adjustments beforehand?" Along with my Chinese partner agency, I clear all questions for you and find the right solutions. We we offer the following services for the Chinese market:
- Acceptance tests for existing brand names
- Market research for products or product innovations
- Tranfer of names into Chinese characters - Transliteration and transcription
- Adaptations and testing of names for further Asian markets
Worth knowing: Naming FAQs
If you have any questions, I will gladly answer them. You can get in touch with us by mail or phone. However, here you can already find some answers to common questions.
Q: What is a good name?
A: Good question. A general answer is impossible. A good name is operational in the relevant markets and produces the correct, i.e. intended effects. There is no general-purpose perfect name, but there is always a best one for each particular purpose. And this one will pay off.
Q: How important is a name?
A: You can hardly overestimate the choice of the right name as the name has far-reaching consequences for design, communication and so forth - concerning products as well as companies. However, one must be honest: not every project actually deserves to receive a name.
Q: Is it a good idea to develop a name, even if the product does not exist yet?
A: This is exactly the right way to do it. The name will influence all the steps that follow, e.g. communication strategy and media content. However, what you should have, is a clear strategy with a clean positioning. Based on that, the name can be developed smoothly.
Q: What is the advantage of a lucid name strategy for a portfolio?
A: At first, a clear and comprehensive name system requires more efforts than just developing one single brand. In the long term, however, it pays off by increased efficiency and accelerated name development. A solid foundation is so much easier to build on. Read more about name systems.
Q: Is there a silver bullet, e.g. invented names, or a special formula?
A: No. As mentioned, each project is unique. In one case, an invented name may be the best solution, in a different one this is a classic, evocative name. In my opinion, one cannot claim any standard rules concerning the desired name without detailed knowledge of the related venture. Therefore, any kind of formula for creation or evaluation is void.
Q: Can you also help us if we “only” need descriptive terms?
A: Even with "only" descriptive labels, the right name choice is crucial. Interestingly, the introduction of innovative descriptive names opens very charming opportunities such as setting new product categories - while at the same time accentuating an innovative character. This is one of my favorite tasks.
Q: Why should one consult a naming specialist?
A: Naming is a very specialized field that extends far beyond the invention of new names. My experience and my methodical, proven approach guarantee the highest degree of accuracy. A score of filters in the development process secures that you get strong, good names.
Q: How much time should we budget until a name can actually be used?
A: To develop a customized name requires up to eight weeks of intense project work. Until you hold a legally protected trademark in your hands, you should reserve six months at the least, depending on your markets. Contact me for an appraisal of your individual case.
Q: Where do you work, will you visit us?
A: The majority of my clients is based in Germany and Austria. However, I have also tended to customers from Northern Italy, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, and Switzerland. So basically, we should be able to team up, no matter where you are from.
Q: Can you just analyse our names?
A: Of course, I will gladly check and evaluate name proposals that have originated from within your team. Criteria are manifold and include phonetics, etymology, semantics, concept-fit, futureproofness ...
Q: Should a new name be testet?
A: Market research and name tests, qualitative as well as quantitative, can make sense, but only if adapted carefully and applied with a good sense of proportion.
Q: Is the effort you make to create a name not actually disproportionately large?
A: If you manage to find a great name by chance, definitely. In all other cases: no. In view of the far-reaching consequences of a name for communication and design of a product or a company, the proper choice of a name can hardly be overestimated.
Q: Can you help us if we want to approach the Chinese market?
A: We can also offer support concerning all Chinese brand issues via our chosen partner in China. Here, you can find more information about our Chinese partners.
