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We'd love to tell you that branding is all about pretty design but we'd be lying. It takes balls to define your leadership, clarity and focus, and you'll need even bigger balls to execute on it. The branding process can reveal a bunch of ugliness as well as brilliance. Yes, branding hurts. Are you brave enough?  Get a regular shot of qualified comments, opinions, recommendations, tools, and ideas regarding branding and leadership. To inspire and provide food for thought.  Welcome to our blog!


Is Bing a good name for Microsoft's search offering?

Dann Ilicic - Monday, June 01, 2009
Anytime Microsoft does anything to challenge Google, it always makes for interesting news. Last week the New York Times did a story on Bing — the new name for Microsoft Live search. 

What struck me about the article had nothing to do with the name itself, but rather the asinine comment from Peter Sealey, Coca-Cola's former chief marketing officer who said " Microsoft should have picked a name that more directly connotes search... it's going to be an enormous expense to create an image for this thing called Bing."

I can't help but wonder what Mr. Sealey would have preferred. Perhaps something like InfoSeek of SearchSoft would have suited him better. The truth is most people gravitate towards names that are descriptive because they "get it" instantly, but those are also the names that are most forgettable. 

There are endless examples of successful companies that violate someone's idea of what a good name should be. As a naming professional, I can tell you that the name is nowhere near as important as the quality and distinctiveness of the offering from that company. As of right now, Bing does not provide much of a reason to switch from Google — at least not one that I know of.

According to Mr. Sealey's logic, there would be no Apple's, Yahoo's or even Google's for that matter. Names need to be memorable instead of descriptive, evocative instead of generic, brave instead of safe. 

So is Bing a good name for a search engine? Sure why not. Can Bing outsmart Google? Let's see. In the meantime, ask yourself what would it take for you to switch and if the name would have any influence on that. 
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Ahmed Ismail commented on 02-Jun-2009 10:27 AM
I think it is a good name, it has a nice Bing to it, it can be used as a verb like Google, although it does sound funny when you say "I binged him/her and nothing came up" My first impressions of Bing is that it looks and feels pretty much like Google with a nice background image. whether it will bite into Google's pie will depend on more than the look and feel, and name for that matter. it is the search results and their relevancy that can attract more Bingers.

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Where do good company names come from

Dann Ilicic - Monday, April 20, 2009
There seems to be a lot of mystery about how great new brand names are created and where they come from. I read articles on how extensive name testing is done and how professional linguists help guarantee success and it drives me nuts. Take a look at this Wikipedia link on the etymology of some of the world's most recognizable brands to see where their names came from. My favorite one is the story of Kinko's.

When I talk to our clients and colleagues about naming, I often warn them about the biggest naming mistake they can make. It has been my experience that when discussing name ideas with a room full of bright, educated and driven people, they will generally gravitate towards a descriptive name because it "says what we do". Although this may seem like good logic at first, it really is flawed. First of all, descriptive names are by definition next to impossible to trademark. Second, they are generic and forgettable—the exact opposite of your brand should be.

One of my core beliefs is that names are made great by having an authentic, compelling and consistent brand promise behind them. My favorite names are those that reflect core values, character and/or positioning of the company in an interesting, not immediately obvious way. I also believe the you need to have balls to do this. The irony being that playing it safe can actually be dangerous for your brand.

So here's the bottom line. Great names can come from anywhere and they do. The real issue is will you know it when you see it. This is the time to be brave. If your name doesn't make you at least a little nervous, keep looking—you're still playing with the obvious.

Feel free to use some of our naming tools for yourself by clicking here.

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Gustavo Cadar commented on 29-Apr-2009 07:13 AM
Very interesting article. Indeed, descriptive names flood in naming brainstorms and usually are the favorites to the companies owners, since they tend to be very conservatives choosing names. I try to persuade them to use those descriptions (if needed) as tag lines. That help them to understand that their brand core is not exactly what they do, but it is more like HOW they do what they do.
Jen Ohs - VA graphic design commented on 21-Oct-2009 11:08 AM
Great post. It certainly has me thinking about my corporate name which recently came under review. I like the idea of the name "making you nervous". I've found that the same goes for great design - which goes hand-in-hand with branding of course.

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