Naming is the most frequent request to KOLORO agency. Today we will tell you about the method of naming, which is becoming more and more popular abroad, and in Ukraine is just emerging. For this purpose, we publish a translation of the article by brandingmagazine.com – “What’s #$%&? A study of the use of symbols in brand names”
These days, it’s increasingly difficult to come up with a memorable name for a brand. Many existing words are already busy, including the names of the most famous fruits (an Apple reference). Creating an entirely new name or word is not just a matter of strategy and creativity. Brand names must be legally available as trademarks. To date, there are 212,664 trademarks registered in the United States (with the United States Patent and Trademark Office or USPTO). Finding a name that is different from existing trademarks is becoming increasingly difficult. After all, there are only 26 letters of the English language at our disposal, and not all combinations add up to intelligible and sounding words.
Visual (corporate identity and logo) and verbal (name, slogan, supporting texts) identification system makes a brand successful. To communicate this to the consumer you need to formulate a system. At the head of everything is a unique and special name. Theoretically, we will eventually run out of ways to come up with new, meaningful brand names. But hope is not lost, at least not yet. It is given to us by symbols.
How about symbols?
Besides the 26 letters, we have many more assets at our disposal. They can be used to come up with a unique name (naming). Look at the keyboard: it consists of: 26 letters, 10 numbers and 32 symbols. It is the symbols that represent additional resources that can be used to create a brand name. They open up new possibilities for brands to express themselves.
Using letters combined with symbols is a good way to create a unique name for a brand. For example, in China, the names DG and D&G can be registered in different categories without causing legal conflicts. Keeping all of the above in mind, let’s look at a few examples of using symbols in brand names.
Naming is a responsible part of brand creation! Contact KOLORO branding agency and entrust the matter to professionals.
Strategy&
Strategy& (English for “Strategy &”, where “&” is used as a conjunction of “and”) was formed in 2014, following the merger of Booz & Company and PwC.
It’s certainly an evocative brand name, although the “&” is likely borrowed from the name of the predecessor company Booz & Company. But what is the point of the name Strategy& ? The company intends to communicate that they are creating more than just strategy development. However, the name begs the question – strategy& what? Without a tagline or descriptor(explanation) to tell us more, we are left without an answer.
Also, “&” is not used in all brand and customer touchpoints. The website URL looks like strategyand.pwc.com, and the publications are called strategy+. Using a symbol to convey meaning or as a way to pique the curiosity of an audience is a great way to use symbols in naming. But like most things in branding, it needs to be used consistently and systematically. Otherwise, the audience may become confused rather than interested.
Chips Ahoy!, YUM!, and Yahoo!
All these companies use an exclamation mark at the end of the name. It brings energy and enthusiasm to the brands identity. The exclamation mark can make the brand name unique and appealing. The key is to ensure that the sentiment that this symbol conveys is aligned with the brand positioning. Obviously, it is not appropriate for a law firm or a hospital. However, we can see that excitement is an important category in the areas where Chips Ahoy! (FMCG brand, makes cookies), YUM! (the concern that owns fast food giants KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell) and Yahoo! (the internet pioneer). In addition, enjoyable excitement is inherent in all three brands and is part of their brand identity. From the packaging to the message in the online application, they contain the “voice” of the brand, conveying its tone.
?What if!
The company ?What if! (English for “What if!”) is a consulting company that helps corporations innovate their businesses. In its name, it uses punctuation marks at the beginning and end of the name. It’s a way to tell a simple but intriguing story: start with a question and end with an explanation. They add the descriptor “innovative partners” to their brand name to clarify information about their business. After all, it may not be obvious to everyone from the name alone. This comprehensive approach to symbols in the name creates a clear picture for customers, helps them to see and understand what the company does.
Su:m37°
A Korean cosmetics company (fermented cosmetics, owned by LG) takes the use of symbols in naming to a new level. It uses colons, degree signs and numbers at the same time. The big question is: Have manufacturers and brand managers gone too far? The colon gets in the way of reading the word a bit. Combined with M37°, consumers may have a hard time remembering the brand name. These are heavy symbols, so consumers may remember the brand visually but not be able to pronounce the name.
Note
In the name the manufacturers reveal the technology of cosmetics production. Ingredients are fermented in special Japanese oak barrels at a temperature of 37°.
85° C
85° C is a Taiwanese chain of coffee shops and bakeries that successfully uses numbers and symbols in its name. 85 degrees is the optimal temperature for coffee preparation. The name is short, unusual and easy to remember. In addition, it carries a memorable story.
SK-II
SK-II (a cosmetics company) uses a dash and the Roman numeral 2 in its name. The name SK-II is short, unique and memorable. Due to the audience’s good knowledge of Roman numerals, it is easily understood. However, the use of symbols here does not make much sense. In the case of SK-II, the brand will only be able to give meaning to the name after a long time, establishing communication. Without a clear story behind the name this will be an expensive way to make the brand name meaningful, especially for a new brand. In addition, the brand URL is sk-ii.com. That phrase does not read SK-II. It doesn’t match the brand name.
Choosing a name for your brand? Take a look at our articles on choosing a name for a clothing brand and creating a name to enter the European market.
Recommendations for the use of symbols in the title
Thanks to a few working examples, best practices (instructions) for using symbols in a title are beginning to emerge. Here is a list of them.
A symbol has to mean something
A symbol should not be included randomly in a brand name. A symbol in a brand name works best when there is a story behind it, and the mood the symbol conveys matches the essence of the brand.
The symbol should be consistently applied across all customer touch points with the brand
If a brand really wants to use a symbol in a name, it needs to be applied consistently and across all touchpoints. We shouldn’t see “!”, “&” in some places and “@” in others. Changing word trademarks can dilute brand identity and lower recognition. It also causes consumers to question the authenticity of the brand. The use of symbols in the lettering of the name (logo) and in the URL is key to brand development. From these sources, consumers draw information about the brand. With their help, the perception of the brand is improved and the level of recognition is increased.
The symbol can be seen as the core of the entire brand portfolio
Once a brand has become recognizable and understood, the symbol acts as an asset that can tie all the elements of the brand together. For example, if a brand has many sub-brands, they can use the same symbol in their names. The symbol can help unify sub-brands with the main brand or link them to other brands in the company’s portfolio.
KOLORO branding agency will help umbrella brand with all the features of your products!
What lies ahead for the field of naming?
Indeed, hope is not yet lost for alphabetical naming. And the use of symbols in brand naming opens new horizons of our possibilities. There could be even more names with symbols in the future. What if we combined symbols and letters from different alphabets into one brand? What if we could incorporate emojis into names? What if we invented a new letter or characters? All of this could become a reality in the coming years. Humanity has been communicating through writing for 5,000 years, and we will continue to do so for the foreseeable future. Brands aren’t going to disappear either, so we’re going to have to come up with new and innovative ways to name them. The future doesn’t have to be limited to a 26-letter alphabet.
Contact KOLORO branding agency. We will come up with a name that will harmoniously complement your brand image!
