So, I've harped enough on the importance of a name in my previous post titled 'Consituents of a Brand' (Click here to joggle your memory!)
Lets try and figure out the conventional parental wisdom underlining the choice of an apt name for their kid, and how these names usually fare,
1) A quality or an attribute they wish to associate with or inculcate in the kid.
- So, do all 'Namrata-s' turn out to be an epitome of politeness :P ???
2) A not-so-common, or rather uncommon name.
- Could have a higher recall, by the heck of being different, and no association!
3) Or simply, a name that sounds good!
- Can be just too generic, easy to pronounce, and remember, and difficult to be associated with a face or a person!
Similarly, the tradition of adding surnames or family names can be explained as,
4) Establishing a lineage with the ancestors, so as to leverage their reputation!
- Can have a rub-off effect and perceptual parental influence.
...................................................................
Lets talk 'brands' now :)
I believe brands is not just an intangible entity, instead its a concept, indeed a phenomenon!
So, let me describe a brand as a planned phenomenon, spread over various phases, which enables a consumer to form tangible or intangible associations with the brand to effectively differentiate it with similar commodities.
Even before a 'brand' is launched in the market, the father, the mother, and the entire family of the brand, spend considerable time thinking and planning for its conception, launch, growth, nourishment, management, and marketing.
So, ideally a brand should have the most representative name, and the right kind of associations - to ensure the right positioning, or rather owing to the right positioning! Yet, its quite ironical that some of the brands may have one of the most misleading and deceptive names! Is it deliberate, uh, lets discover. In my opinion, a brand name should usually rests upon one of these premises,
1) A quality or an attribute, often intended to be associated, with the brand, eg. Reliance
2) A benefit derived, or promised to be derived, from the brand, eg. Sleepwell
3) Association with the parent-brand, eg. Wills Lifestyle
4) Association with the product-line of the brand, eg. Citibank
5) Association with the industry-segment of product, eg. Shopper's Stop
6) Association with the founder, et al, eg. Levis
Unfortunately, we get to hear more misleading and undecipherable names, that make it difficult for us to form an association or connection with the brand, eg. Apple, Axis, Actis, Reebok, Milton, Revlon, Mirinda, Lays, Bata, Philips, Dr Green, 5 Star, Dominos, Fab India, Castrol, and the list is endless. I am not debating the success or failure of these names, since a number of factors go into making a brand a successful! The role played by Advertising, BTL (Below the Line) promotions, and the PR is more crucial than the mere name, for the promotion and top-of-the mind recall of a brand.
However, I am just trying to question the relevancy, the association and the connection of such names - and figure out if its a safe marketing tactic! There is no dearth of such misleading and mis-associated names. 'Dezire' to me sounds like a condom brand, probably the idea was to position the car as a desire of object. Similarly, 'Fabindia' sounds more like a travel operator! On the contrary, one of the most apt names I ever heard was 'Nirman' - a construction company, how significant, can't say if successful though!
With thousands and thousands of brands in the closet we live in, I am sure there must be many more interesting names, worthy of a mention! So, do share some with me if you have an interesting take on any...
- Namrta Batra
