The naming and branding blog

New buzz phrase, “Social Networthing”, debuts right here, right now

Posted by Steve on June 27, 2009 at 10:22 am | PERMALINK | No Comments

Keith James Dunlap of Portland Maine (my very old friend, er, ex-bartender at the Great Jones Cafe) writes, via Facebook:

Help me launch this phrase, social networthing, i.e. where the conversation is designed to allow everyone involved to drop enough hints about how much money they have or make, so that by the end, each knows exactly where he or she stands in terms of the income ladder.

Keith would also like you to know that he is now a successful attorney and his wife is a famous novelist.

A leaner, more digestable cut of the Igor Naming Guide now available!

Posted by Steve on June 26, 2009 at 4:39 pm | PERMALINK | No Comments

As we gleefully pranced and flounced about, celebrating the 250 thousandth download of the Igor Naming Guide; we got a complaint. At 115 pages, the ultimate free, how-to resource for naming companies and products, had gotten too long.

As we’d nothing better to do, we responded. The naming guide is now available in two different lengths: soul-crushing (115 pages) and moderately-irritating (26 pages).

Either version of the naming guide can be downloaded here.

My plastic covered Cuisinart toaster burst into flames

Posted by Steve on June 24, 2009 at 9:47 am | PERMALINK | No Comments

Never buy a toaster made of plastic. On the computer last Monday morning, drinking coffee and eating toast, when I smelled the smell. My 6 month old Cuisinart had burst into flames. It wasn’t a toast fire, as I was eating the toast.

When plastic covered toasters first hit the market, I remember having reservations and thinking, “Wait, plastic burns. And it gives off lots of toxic smoke when it does. Metal doesn’t burn. It would be smarter to buy a metal toaster. But they must be safe, otherwise they wouldn’t be allowed to sell them”.

Wise up people; plastic burns, metal does not. Plastic burns, got it? Plastic burns, plastic burns… Metal good, plastic bad.

And wise up Cuisinart, before your brand goes up in flames.

My ex-toaster, Monday June 22, 2009, 7:05 am, Sausalito, CA

My ex-toaster, Monday June 22, 2009, 7:05 am, Sausalito, CA

“HI! BILLY MAYS HERE FOR CARDIAC SURGERY! JUST PAY SHIPPING AND HANDLING!”

Posted by Steve on June 13, 2009 at 8:00 am | PERMALINK | 1 Comment

Do we really have to explain why this is a bad idea? We didn’t think so.

Computer Tan finally launches, and it really works!

Posted by Steve on June 12, 2009 at 8:59 am | PERMALINK | No Comments

Download the app today at ComputerTan.com

Richard Branson launches the Igor named gogo service

Posted by Steve on May 30, 2009 at 8:55 pm | PERMALINK | No Comments

Igor named the new in-flight wifi service gogo (case study here). Below, Richard Branson officially launches gogo service aboard Virgin America.

Search this: Bing is ping with a B (Zune is tune with a Z)

Posted by Jay on May 28, 2009 at 1:28 pm | PERMALINK | 4 Comments

bing-smIn what has become a recurring skit of rebranding theater, Microsoft is yet again relaunching its search service with a new name. This time around, until it is swept aside unceremoniously in a couple years, the name is Bing.

In case you need a reminder of the history of Microsoft search names, here it is: Originally called MSN Search, Microsoft rebranded their search service as Windows Live Search. Eventually, that clunker was shortened to the generic Live Search. Now, apparently realizing that “live” and “search” are both basic expectations all users have of any search engine, MS is changing the name yet again to Bing.

At least they have a plan now, right? They do, don’t they? Let’s check in with Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer, who had this to say about Bing in an interview today with Walt Mossberg at Walt’s All Things Digital conference, with my annotations in brackets:

Why Bing? Obviously we needed a better name [not great, just "better"], says Ballmer. “We needed a name that says this is all about search [if that's the case, doesn't 'Live Search' say that more directly than 'Bing'?].” Ballmer doesn’t seem to really know. “I’m not the creative guy, here…short mattered [short is the new (sch)long?]…people like to ‘verb up’ [every day before work, and then a quick shower]…works globally, doesn’t have negative connotations [other than this, anyway].” Walt: So everyone is going to walk out of here and say “Bing me”? [And 'Bing off' and 'Go Bing yourself'.] Clearly that’s Ballmer’s hope. “This is a very important step…it’s not a substitute for innovation, but we need to build brand equity in addition to technology equity.” [The eureka moment: brands matter! Take that Apple and Google -- we're onto your game!]

Was securing the trademark problematic? Ballmer says there were a few challenges [Bing & Bong?]. Bing Crosby, apparently, was not an issue [because he's dead?]. In any case, Ballmer seems to enjoy saying the word of his new search service. Maybe Microsoft should consider a new name for Zune. “Zing”?

…Walt circles back and notes that Ask spent an enormous amount of money on a rebranding campaign that ultimately failed despite some good buzz. How much money is Microsoft dedicating to the Bing branding campaign? “Lots,” says Ballmer. “When I approved the budget, I gulped, and a gulp in a $60 billion company, well, that’s a big gulp.” [Ahh, here's the strategy: name it anything and then dump giant Balmergulps full of cash into advertising it.]

Of course in the age of Googling, Twittering and Facebooking, everybody, even Microsoft, has realized the value of “verbing up” your name. (As an aside, can you imagine saying this: “Hey, you want to catch a movie tonight?” “Sorry, I’d love to, but I’ll be busy Microsofting all night long.” Maybe they can use that as a verb that means: “to reinstall Windows after the computer has crashed and burned”.)

Unfortunately, Microsoft seems to be grasping at straws with this one (or reaching for a bowl of bing cherries?), and when you consider that the word ping has evolved from a networking term to a more general usage meaning ‘communication’ (”I’ll ping you later with the directions to the party.”), it begins to seem like maybe, just maybe, the entire rationale for this new name was, simply, Bing is ‘ping’ with a ‘B’. If that strategy seems sickeningly familiar to you, perhaps it’s because we pointed out here a couple years ago when Microsoft launched Zune, named by Lexicon Branding, that no matter what Lexicon’s convoluted rationalization of the thinking behind the name Zune, it boiled down to Zune is ‘tune’ with a ‘Z’.

And for the original bit of rebranding humor, here’s Eric Idle reciting an old bit he did with Monty Python, Rock Notes, that neatly summarizes the process Microsoft went through to rename its search service…again:

Bad font choices ruining America’s brand

Posted by Steve on May 27, 2009 at 7:33 am | PERMALINK | No Comments

America Is F*cked…….(Graphically at least) from Jess Gibson on Vimeo.

b2b to b2c - Discussion topic

Posted by Steve on May 12, 2009 at 4:20 pm | PERMALINK | 6 Comments

We trying a first here, trying to start an actual discussion. How novel.

Question: Can anyone think of any b2b brands that have tried and failed at becoming a b2c brand?

Add your two cents on this topic in the Comments.

Next week: Conversing with inanimate objects, aka designers.

Activia: A mystery wrapped in an enema

Posted by Steve on May 10, 2009 at 3:27 pm | PERMALINK | 3 Comments

Activia yogurt’s sales pitch:

Why should I Switch to Activia? If you have ever suffered from even occasional irregularity, then you should try Activia. Only delicious Activia has the exclusive culture Bifidus Regularis and is clinically proven to help with slow intestinal transit when eaten every day for two weeks, as part of a balanced diet and healthy lifestyle.

That’s the pitch; Activa relieves constipation in only two weeks…only two weeks… I’ll pass. Give me the Fleet with real blueberries, An Enema of the People. (sorry Henrik).

You know you are in North Carolina when…

Posted by Steve on May 4, 2009 at 6:18 am | PERMALINK | No Comments

Hat tip to Mike Sobola, who is not in North Carolina, but only by the thinnest of margins.

Recommended from on high

Posted by Steve on May 2, 2009 at 11:59 am | PERMALINK | No Comments

Wharton at UPenn and USC Annenberg School for Communication both chime in on The Igor Naming Guide.