How to come up with a brand name that works internationally as well as locally
Creating a brand starts with a name. But finding the right name, especially one that works internationally as well as locally, can take time and effort. Here are some tips on how to come up with a brand name that works internationally as well as locally. (Coca-Cola launched an entire website to explain its new branding strategy named “Tribe.” The company also released a video explaining the meaning of the word tribe and why it was so important for their new direction.) Creating a brand is more than just coming up with a name for your business or product; it’s about understanding what makes it unique and memorable and what you want people to intuitively associate with when they think about your brand.
Know your audience
Who is your target audience? What do they want? What are their needs? These are the questions you need to ask yourself when deciding how you want to brand your company. These are the people you want to engage with and connect with your product or service. You want to make sure the name you choose resonates with them and is easily understood within the culture they are in. For example: If you’re looking to brand a product that is going to be sold internationally, making sure it has an English name will make it easy for everyone to understand what it is. You don’t want to choose a name that only works in English like some other languages might have trouble pronouncing or spelling it correctly. You also don’t want to pick a name that is too long, as that may make it harder for others to remember or spread the word about your product.
Find the right words
Once you have an idea of who your product or company is targeting, you’ll want to start thinking about the words you want to be associated with your business. Here are a few things to keep in mind when you’re trying to find the right words for your business or product. – What is your product or service? This is the first thing you’ll want to figure out. What do you want to sell? – What is the problem your product solves? Next, you’ll want to identify who your product solves the problem for and why they would want your product. – What is your company culture? Finally, you’ll want to think about how your company culture is unique and special. – How do these things tie in together? You can then start to piece together the words that fit your product or service best.
Check the vocabulary
Now that you have some words in mind, it’s time to double-check those words are not already being used by another company. To do this, you can use a search engine like Google. Type in the name of the product or service you’re trying to sell. Then, scroll down to the “Autocomplete” section. This will show you the top words that people have searched for before or are searching for now. This is a great way to make sure that your product name doesn’t show up in the same list when someone searches for the product. Another way to check the vocabulary is to type those words into a search engine and then click on the “Images” tab. This will show you if the image search results include any results for competing branding but it will also help see if there is perhaps any unwanted association with the word. It may be an idea to work with different native-speaking researchers for international brands to ensure you avoid the pitfalls of brand names for foreign markets. There are lots of examples of what not to do on the internet, so make sure you avoid mistakes by not considering cultural and language references.
Narrow down your choices
To help find the perfect name, here are a few different things you should keep in mind when making the final decision. – How does it sound? Does it flow nicely when you say it out loud? Does it fit the mood you want to create? – Is it easy to spell? You don’t want to choose a name that is too long, as that may make it harder for others to remember or spread the word about your product. – Is it easy to remember? You want to make it easy for others to recall your brand name. – Does it fit the culture and language you are marketing to? You don’t want to choose a name that is too complicated for others to understand.
At some point, you should be able to pick a name that will help, not hinder, your brand. Remember, whilst the name is not everything, it is an important part of the sum of the brand and it will come to life in the brand identity design – so pick wisely!
Regine Wilber
I am a brand consultant and conceptual designer. I love using creativity to solve problems for our clients. In my spare time, I like jigsaws and probably a bit of a board game geek.