The name is the beginning of a brand.

It’s the initial point of contact between consumer, product, and brand identity. It has the power to capture a particular tone, establish a vibe, and determine the cadence of a brand-consumer relationship that carries over into the more practical elements of marketing and sales. It should come as no surprise then that finding the right name for a brand or a product is an incredibly important task, and requires the utmost sensitivity, scrupulousness, and careful consideration.

There is an old proverb that reads: “The name is in the named.” Meaning, you are an embodiment of the meaning your name carries.In branding, this proverb should carry special significance. The continuity between meaning and signifier creates a parallelism that facilitates comprehension of a brands unity and coherence. It is this careful understanding that governs theWe Group’s naming process. Two case studies in particular are worth highlighting.  

The first was our decision to nameDante Pettis’ foundation CR18.

The name in itself is unique and eclectic in its composition, for it combines both number and letter, and is sporty inits appearance which vibes well with the foundations origin. But the meaning of the name referenced a concept that carried over seamlessly into the brand's persona, and provided a unique opportunity to use the brand name to convey the overall identity of the organization and its corresponding objectives.

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Given that CR18 seeks to support emerging artists and create campaigns for greater support of arts programs as a way to combat the increasing mental health epidemic in the United States, a word that signified the expressive act of creation seemed more than appropriate. The decision to add the number 18 was critical for it still retained a phonetical resemblance to the word create, and seemed aesthetically congruent with the sporting world.

While naming a brand establishes the identity of the organization, naming a product is a bit different. It must retain continuity with an existing identify already signified by a founding name.

The WeGroup was cognizant of this factor in its decision to rename the key products of Aletha Health – each dedicated to alleviating the problem of muscle tension.For example, their key products named Hip Hook and Nuckle were renamed the Mark and Range.

The We Group made this decision for a few reasons. First, stylistically, the new names were a bit more concise, and their brevity was accompanied by a corresponding boldness of expression. Second, the aesthetic communicated by the name more effectively corresponded with a marketing and sales strategy intent on penetrating, for example, the outdoor sector. Hence, naming has the power to not only cohere with an existing brand identity, but it can set the stage for effective marketing and sales campaigns.All these possibilities must be taken into consideration when a name is being selected.

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