One issue to resolve when looking at a product naming strategy is when and to what extent does it make sense to engage in ingredient branding – naming individual technology components, such as GM’s “OnStar” navigation system, or PCs with “Intel Inside.” This is a tricky and nuanced area of branding to get right, and to avoid brand dilution it is important to strike a balance and only name ingredients when it makes sense to turn them into powerful sub-brands. Don’t go on a naming spree just for the hell of it.
What is the Manifesto?
The Naming & Branding Manifesto is a live, ongoing exploration of Zinzin's philosophy of naming and branding, presented here with the latest Manifesto bites at the top.
Get the Manifesto PDF
On our Downloads page, you can get The Naming & Branding Manifesto PDF, which is in chronological order, or the standard naming guide, which includes The Manifesto.
5 Random Manifesti
22A Word That Paints A Thousand Pictures.
Old cliches never die, but they can often be turned inside-out. So while it’s true that a picture might be worth a thousand words, a great name is a word or two that can paint a thousand pictures in the … »»»
19Burn Your Thesaurus.
Consulting a thesaurus is the first stop on the naming train for most people, who think that finding the right synonym will lead to the perfect name. It won’t, because it’s already been done to death. Go deep instead – … »»»
6Language Is Dead, Long Live Language.
Language is the fruit fly’s view of evolution – rapid change, mutation, morphogenesis. It is capable of being influenced, molded, formed, deformed and reformed before our eyes and ears. It is a mutant made to be torn asunder and reconfigured. … »»»
32Frozen In The Amber Of Brand Equity.
When a successful brand has years of positive history and stories behind it, that is known as brand equity, which is something to be treasured and nurtured. But if a brand has been struggling, has grown tired, or has been … »»»
12You Can Get It If You Really Want.
Clients often say to us that they got stuck when trying to name a company or product themselves because they are “not creative enough.” We tell them, no, you are just as creative as us or anyone else, but your … »»»

