Brandbite #16 Great brands deserve a great brand name. At the end of the day, a brand name is "the master art" of the Brain Tattoo: the letters, the sound, the recall, the distinctive nomenclature. Whether you are naming a new company, product product, or service, the name is a vital part of your brand building strategy. Killer brand names are: Emotional. They make you feel good and generate curiosity. Memorable. They either include a compelling sound or have eye appeal. In essence, they offer crisp and distinct qualities. Personable. They express a set of human-like traits and exude attitude and style. Deep. They can it be leveraged in promotional, ad, PR, and communication programs. Lame names that blend in and sound like all your competitors · Confuse the market · Take more resources to build market awareness · Confirm your low level of innovation Literal and Descriptive vs. Obscure and Emotional My vote goes to obscure and certainly emotional, powerful brands that are distinct Brain Tattoos, not wall flowers. When Apple, Nike, Google, FUBU, and Yahoo were launched, their names probably didn't mean much to the market, but today with their name frequency, brand story telling communication, and brand performance, they are all hugely successful. Don't be a copy cat Copycat names or names that sound like a competitor are not worth much unless you want to be a commodity, and hard to spell or pronounce names are risky business. A great brand name is worth 20 miles in a brand marathon any day. For a complete story on brand naming, visit www.fastcompany.com and read my June story. Brand On!

Karen Post helps organizations and professionals prosper with a powerful brand. She is a 20-year branding enthusiast, professional speaker, and author of Brain Tattoos, Creating Unique Brands that Stick to Customers' Minds. If you’d like to learn more about branding, read her monthly column at Fastcompany.com and visit www.brandingdiva.com.