When you have a cold, what do you reach for to blow your nose? How about when you accidently cut yourself? Most people would answer Kleenex (instead of tissue) and Band-Aid (instead of adhesive bandage). Often used interchangeably, these terms actually represent the brand names rather than the products themselves. Other well-known examples include Jet [...]
Category > Branding
Top 15 Logo Trends of 2013
When it comes to branding, there are a series of elements that are crucial to your brand’s survival. Once you name your brand (see 10 Steps to Effective Business or Product Naming) the next thing to tackle will be your logo. This is the visual representation of your brand and the elements you choose- color, shape, [...]
Tips on Taglines
Developing effective taglines is a disciplined process that melds insight with positioning strategy and creativity. So what is a tagline, and how can tagline development deliver a breakthrough? Sometimes called tags, positioning taglines, slogans, jingles, unique selling propositions or descriptors, taglines distill your corporate or brand position to a few simple and memorable words—ideally from [...]
Black Packaging Can Signal A Premium Product
Why are so many brands choosing black packaging? In a struggling economy, consumers are increasing cost sensitive and black can signal “premium”. The color black can symbolize power, sexuality, sophistication, formality, wealth, and more. A recent article in WSJ, “Packaging Noir: Shampoo, Beer, Gelato All Wear Black”, how real brands are leveraging the color black [...]
The Domain Name Game
Depending on the type of business or product, the availability of a domain name (also called URL or Uniform Resource Locator or website address) may be critical to the name selection. However, most common names, acronyms and interesting domain names are already registered. Why? Because each year over 10 million domain names are registered, with [...]
Pantone Color of 2013: Emerald Gets the Crown
In 2011, we were both “captivated and stimulated” by the bold presence of Honeysuckle Pink. Then in 2012, we were ignited by the “heat and energy” of Tangerine Tango. Now in 2013, we are harnessing that energy and fueling our journey of growth, renewal, and regeneration. For indeed the color gods have spoken, and it [...]
Sears Needs a New Name - The Importance of Brand Naming
In a recent article from Crain’s Chicago Business, Joseph B. Cahill suggests a bold move for Sears Holdings Corporation – changing their name. Why this bold suggestion? Nothing is working for Sears. They have tried to make acquisitions, switched marketing strategies several times, tested new formats, and reconfigured stores. Sears is a 814-store chain that [...]
Brand Color: What Does it Say About Your Company?
A recent blog post from Marketo gave a great overview of what your brand color says about your business. An infographic highlights each color and describes how your brand’s color affects various aspects such as buying decisions and company recognition, while explaining the appropriate industry and “warmth” factor a color gives off for a brand. We [...]
Internal Naming: Why Naming Contests Suck
More often than not, companies of all sizes, start-ups to billion dollar giants, will attempt to develop a new corporate or product name with an internal team. Clearly many successful names have been developed internally, or by a legendary founder. However, companies should be aware of the many factors and issues, best practice processes, and [...]
Golf Ball Naming | An Interesting History on Golf Ball Brands
We found the most interesting article in the Wall Street Journal on golf ball naming. The article A Plea for More Poetry on Golf Balls by John Paul Newport brought some interesting questions to the table, mentioning that the combination of words like “Tour” or “Pro” along with “Z”s and “X”s usually form a golf ball’s [...]
