I find it very interesting how personal perception of a brand name can influence us and I sometimes wonder how much thought is given to brand names when they are chosen. Sure, large companies can, and often do, hire naming specialists who study and create names that will appeal to the masses, but what about small… Continue Reading
Tag Archives: Name Selection
How Do You Know?
Posted in Guest Bloggers—Mark Prus, Marketing Consultant at NameFlashSM I received a lot of terrific feedback on my recent Duets Blog post “When Should You Change Your Name?” Consider this Volume 2 in the series. After you have decided to change your name, “How Do You Know When You Have Identified a Great Name?” This could also… Continue Reading
What’s Up with Dogs?
Posted in Branding, Guest Bloggers, Marketing, Trademarks—Karl Schweikart & Susan Hopp, both of 45 Degrees/Minneapolis I bet you’ve noticed this long-time naming trend: Having the word “dog” in the names of brands that have nothing at all to do with dogs or pets or even animals. What gives? A quick Google search of the term “black dog” turned up these… Continue Reading
When Should You Change Your Name?
Posted in Guest Bloggers—Mark Prus, Marketing Consultant at NameFlashSM In my NameFlashSM name development business, I sometimes get asked by clients, “Should I change my brand name?” From a purely selfish standpoint my answer should be “YES!” because I get paid to generate names! But the reality is that there are times when you should not change your… Continue Reading
Duck Duct Debate
Posted in BrandingEvery once in awhile I run across a product and find myself wondering… why did they name it this? I recently ran across the Duck Tape brand shown below. My first reaction was “duck” is a commonly misused term to identify what should be called “duct” tape, and this brand owner interestingly chose to… Continue Reading
Good Name, Bad Name? It Depends.
Posted in Guest Bloggers—Mark Prus, Principal, NameFlashSM Name Development There is a local furniture store in Pittsburgh called Colonial Modern Furniture. Its slogan is “It’s Colonial. It’s Modern. And everything in between.” This demonstrates one of the biggest mistakes people make in picking a name—developing a name that tries to speak to everyone. I’m sorry, but apart from… Continue Reading
In the Brand Name Game, Honda Gets it Done the Hard Way
Posted in Branding, Famous Marks, Goodwill, Guest Bloggers, Marketing, Trademarks—Dave Taylor, Taylor Brand Group In this age of fiercely defended intellectual property, it’s tough developing even a single new product name. Registered trademarks guard their brand territory in every industry and fence out their competitors. Launching a new product name can take months or years of name generating, testing, and legal process. Done well,… Continue Reading
Name Development Faux Pas, a.k.a. What Were They Thinking?!
Posted in Guest Bloggers—Mark Prus, Marketing Consultant at NameFlashSM As a professional name developer, I am often amused by the decisions companies make when naming products. Here are just a few of the naming faux pas I have observed. 1. Poor Visual Communication – Naming is an emotional decision and you often get caught up amongst the trees… Continue Reading
What Has Happened To Car Names?
Posted in Branding, Guest Bloggers, Marketing, Trademarksby Mark Prus Marketing Consultant at NameFlashSM As a professional name developer, I think about names all the time. One of my favorite times to think is when driving. No, I am not “texting while driving.” But when I pull up behind a car at a red light, I notice the name on the back… Continue Reading
Staying on the Right Side of the Line: Suggestive vs. Descriptive
Posted in Advertising, Almost Advice, Branding, Food, Marketing, Sight, TrademarksMy last post explored the fine — but critically important – line, between suggestive and descriptive naming styles, here. As you will recall, marketers and naming gurus who select from the former category are rewarded with immediate rights; selecting from the latter category leaves one in limbo until acquired distinctiveness can be proven, if ever. Landing on the right side of the… Continue Reading
A Legal Perspective on the Pros and Cons of Name Styles
Posted in Advertising, Almost Advice, Branding, Marketing, Sight, TrademarksEarlier this week, Guest Blogger Burt Alper from Catchword Branding, provided a marketer’s perspective on the pros and cons of naming styles, here. With that introduction, now seems like a good time to revisit the critically important line — in terms of legal protection — between descriptive and suggestive names, and also provide a handy graphic to illustrate the… Continue Reading
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Duets Blog Authors
Steve Baird
Just so you know, I'm all about brands and the law, both professionally and personally. I regularly annoy family and friends in retail stores by focusing on product labels—not to buy the product, but to read the fine print and ask, "Who owns these brands" and "Did they really register those marks?" More...
Dan Kelly
You can call me a “non-traditional” attorney, which is a polite way of saying that I did not attend law school straight out of college. I spent five of my first six years after college as a junior high school teacher. The other year I worked as an engineer for a large corporation. More...
Sharon Armstrong
Voted most likely to become an actress while in pre-school, I don’t think I surprised anyone by becoming a lawyer, the steadiest professional gig open to those with a flair for the dramatic. More...
Brent Lorentz
Although I wish I could say my path to the law was the result of a lifelong dream or calling, it was more the result mere curiosity and an affinity for leather-bound books. More...
Catlan McCurdy
Having long been told by my parents that I could do or be anything I wanted, I chose at the age of 10 to become an attorney, as it was the career that would most likely lead me to my goal of becoming the first woman POTUS.More...
Tiffany Blofield
Although my initial career path was to be one of the Supremes (not the musically talented ones with platform shoes and sequins, but rather, the nine wearing sensible shoes and pressed black robes in DC), I will likely stay in Minnesota as I have never lived anywhere else. More...
Brad Walz
My law career started on the ice…as a defensive hockey player (we’re not talking professionally…and if I were, I probably wouldn’t have gotten into law). More...
Susan Perera
Born into the world with an aptitude for science and an affinity for art I found my career path quickly chosen for me. More...
Derek Allen
In hindsight, writing about creativity and the law may have always been in the cards for me. I began training for a career in litigation at an early age by finding ways to disagree with pretty much anyone about pretty much anything. In my longest-running “case,” I argued with my middle school math teacher, Mrs. Jabs, for the better part of four years over whether, even if I got the right answer, I had to show my work to get full credit. More...
Laura Gutierrez
An attorney I am not. Though told to become one, I don't possess those qualities needed to be an effective one (I lack confrontation skills, and although I can write a great argumentative essay, I can’t argue outside a sheet of paper). More...