Re-branding a company's name. Where to start?

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How do teams create a new brand name that aligns with what the company does? From a branding perspective, are their structured approaches/frameworks to coming up with names? How does a name become remarkable? Where does one even start!?

Mostly interested in B2B. Please feel free to support with examples.

Branding & Identity
Names & Slogans
Brand Development
Branding
Marketing
Marketing Strategy
Brand DNA
Alex Taser
71 months ago

7 answers

2

Having formed 2 companies + merging 3 - I have found there is“no one solution”and it depends on several factors.

Groundwork: Whether you are launching a new business, product or service, or rebranding an existing one, clarity is the key factor for success. Clarity creates interest, grabs attention, and calls for action.

Both your clients and employees will better understand and respond to your mission and purpose.

Gaining that clarity requires insight and understanding into what truly drives your business. (And it's not your products and services!) We call it "finding your pivot point."

Once you know it, you can build your brand around it, create a following, command a premium.
People around you, customers, staff, vendors, begin to "get it." When you are clear, everyone else gets clear, and you find yourself in a different space... no longer battling the competition, but leading your company in new and innovative directions.

Once you identify the key stakeholders for your branding process and determine your project budget, it's time to dive in.
 
Collecting your background info
The branding process begins with a meeting of the key stakeholders.

  • This is where you determine “What you are all about” and just where you stand in the process.
  • You may have some ideas and thoughts already formulated.
  • There might be names that you loved but couldn't use for various reasons (i.e. trademark conflict, the domain was taken, etc.) 
  • In this meeting, you need to discuss timelines and milestones.
  • You can create power point presentations, creative briefs, business plans and any other supporting documentation that would help explain and convey your marketing objectives. At this point, we're here to listen, gather, and ask lots of questions.


Determining your pivot point

  • Rather than jumping to a competitive analysis of others in your industry, first ask yourself the question what industry you are in.


Sounds obvious, but it isn't.

  • Apple is not really in the "computer" business, but in the digital lifestyle business.
  • Before branding a company, product or service, you need to dig deeper to determine the end benefit, the true value proposition, so that the branding remains anchored, relevant and timeless.
  • This is called "finding your pivot point," the central theme that resonates throughout everything you do.
  • And it's typically not your products and services. It's usually lies in how you deliver those products and services.
  • Your brand identity needs to be properly aligned with your company's core strengths and vision.
  • That way, when your industry goes through cycles, you don't necessarily suffer the fate of that cycle.


Specify - Writing a creative brief

  1. Now that you know your pivot point, your central theme and mission in life, how do you want to convey that message?
  2. Do you want to sound bold and innovative or tried and true?
  3. Do you want to engage and excite or educate and inform?
  4. What is the personality/temperament of your brand and how do you want it to be perceived?
  5. Who is your primary and secondary target market?
  6. What type of messaging will most appeal to them?
  7. You need to ask these questions and summarize them in a document for your team to share and discuss.
  8. This will help you further in determning the naming process.


Brand - developing your identity

  • Once you know what message you need to convey, now look at how best to convey that key message that is attributable of your business
  • with your set of names that meet these objectives, you and your team and arrange a time to review.
  • Each potential brand name comes with two to three matching tag lines, a rationale statement detailing how the name could be used to further support and position you in your market.


Reviewing and refining

  • It's often in the discussion of the brand names that your team gets the "ah-ha!" moment and they understand your company vision
  • One name sparks a train of thought that leads to other possibilities.
  • The purpose of process, to define the essence of the brand.
  • More often, one or two of the names begin to rise to the top and make more sense with each discussion.
  • The "story" behind the brand will begin to emerge and the name will gain traction.


Select - Selecting the winning name

  • Typically it requires several "rounds" of names to find the right one. And often the name will be from the first list, simply because it requires contrast and comparison to see the value in a name.
  • There is usually several names that will meet the branding criteria, it's a matter of choosing one that feels the most fitting and comfortable.
  • Based on the specifics of your project, you need a comprehensive trademark research, name validation testing, and linguistic evaluation to further assist you in your decision.


Develop - Developing your platform

  • Rather than stopping with a name, tag line, logo and domain name, you need to develop a marketing "lexicon" or language set to further enhance and support your brand message.


What are the key words that your potential client search for (google it) it s about potential clients, championing their cause and being in their corner.

  • Helping them "reaching for their goals," "climbing higher," and "gaining a higher perspective."
  • By developing this language set, you will be able to create a more meaningful and congruent brand message, one that highlights your core strengths.
  • This gives your brand message more substance and makes it more engaging and believable.
  • It also helps when it comes time to write headlines, ad copy and web content. Where can you buy into their messages and content?


Visual – identity & logo

  • Once you have the name, tag line and domain name, you need to create a matching logo gather examples of logos that you admire in other industries, (Then ask yourself why? – Think like a customer even better involve them in determine the best logo they think will reflect your overall brand message – it's a subtle buy in and they often stay with you for the long ride).
  • For some clients, it's all about creating something "eye popping" and highly visual. For others, it might be more important to communicate trust and credibility. So you need to tailor the logo to match the specifics of each assignment.


Finalising - branding elements

  • Once your logo is approved (font type and the specific PMS colours etc), you can then start printing, web design and signage.
  • Create your domain name and at this point you are good to go. You will have all the basics you need for a progressive brand.


I know this sound a lot like hard work, but if you get the basics right and your team and potential stakeholders all talking of the same page you are one step further in process of turning your dream nto reality.

David Whiting
70 months ago
Very nice. - Dr. David E. 63 months ago
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Hi Alex,

There are numerous ways to tackle your question about rebranding. Is it going to be a total rebranding or a brand adjustment and what is the reason for the change?

One way to go about it is to start with the creation of a brandscape. Your brandscape will help you determine the "fit for purpose" of your corporate identity. The new corporate identity can be shaped via a creative process that fits your company culture. To see how concepts translate, I would also advice the use of a focus group.

Finally, create a rebranding plan for the transition itself.

Maike Van Oyen
71 months ago
BETTER YET - avoid the need in the first place; usually - Dr. David E. 63 months ago
EXAMPLE = Wells Fargo = poor job thus far - Dr. David E. 63 months ago
1

This is a complicated question, but I think it starts with understanding and defining what your company is in business to do, then articulating how you want to fulfill your mission. The corporate brand should stand for your mission and essence of what you were created to do.

There are naming services who, starting from a mission, can develop a range of options that fit the mission. But the real challenge for most companies, even those who have been in business a long time, is to articulate what the business does and what mission it wants to fulfill. This goes beyond making a profit, it gets to the essence of why a business even exists. That's not as easy as it sounds.

Jim Kelly
70 months ago
Thanks - Dr. David E. 63 months ago
1

Well there are lots of ways to go about it. Some tips on where to get started:
a) Think of the VALUE your product/service offers: is it cost saving, time saving, automation? Making things pretty? What's the VALUE your happiest customer will experience? What CUSTOMER DREAM is your product making come true? If there's more than one, list them all.
b) Think of the benefits. (This means, what do you do BETTER than competitors)? Are you FASTER, better QUALITY etc? List these down too.
c) What are your customers' pain points. Like literally, what aspect of the business is a pain in the **** for them? How does your product offer relief in a word--that's a good candidate for the brand name.

List all of these down, and have fun with the words--think of puns, play with the spelling, think of what a mascot for these words would look like and so on.

By the end of this exercise, I think you should have a good list ready. All the best! =)

Nayyara Rahman
70 months ago
1

Rebranding is very difficult and fraught with pitfalls, believe me, I have done it, consider repositioning first.

Michael Phelan
70 months ago
The challenge of personal branding is that one wrong step can damage the reputation you’ve worked so hard to build. - Dr. David E. 63 months ago
Corporate, too! - Dr. David E. 63 months ago
Agree, rebrand first if at all possible - Michael 63 months ago
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Kudos to David Whiting for outlining the classically correct way to pursue a re-branding effort.

Jim Kelly
70 months ago
Agree - Dr. David E. 63 months ago
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Hi Alex, Do you have a solution to this one one now? Or are you looking for further advice! Regards, Jason

Jason Thorne
66 months ago

Have some input?