Podcast Summary: How Brands Are Built – The Brand Names Report: A Walkthrough and Summary

Episode Details:

• Title: The Brand Names Report: A Walkthrough and Summary
• Host: Rob Meyerson
• Release Date: May 30, 2024
• Download Report: howbrandsarebuilt.com/BrandNamesReport

1. Introduction

In this special mini-episode of How Brands Are Built, host Rob Meyerson delves into the Brand Names Report, a comprehensive analysis of brand name performance based on user polls from the Brand New website. Released on February 29, 2024, the report aims to uncover trends and insights into what makes certain brand names resonate better with audiences.

2. Data Source and Methodology

Rob initiates the episode by explaining the origins of the data:

• Source: Polls from Brand New, a leading brand identity review site edited by Armin Vit.
• Timeframe: July 2020 to June 2023.
• Data Volume: Over 22,000 votes across 131 brand names.

Key Points:

• Voting Mechanics: Users rated brand names as "Great," "Fine," or "Bad."
• Limitations:
  • Sample Bias: Only Brand New subscribers could vote, predominantly designers, questioning the representativeness of the sample.
  • Vote Variability: Vote counts per name ranged from 10 to over 2,000, raising concerns about the reliability of lower vote counts.

Rob’s Commentary:

"If you only have 20 votes on a name, how seriously can you really take that?" [01:45]

3. Demographics of Voters

Rob provides an overview of the subscriber base:

• Gender Split: Approximately 50% male and 50% female.
• Age Distribution: 60% aged between 18 to 34 years.
• Language: Over 70% English speakers, followed by Chinese and Spanish.

Insight: The audience skews younger compared to the general internet population, potentially influencing name perceptions.

4. Key Findings

a. Preferred Name Characteristics

• Syllables: Four out of the five most preferred names are two syllables.
• Type: Predominantly real or coined (invented) names.
• Meaning: Suggestive or abstract rather than descriptive.

Notable Exception:

"The Avocado Collective", a long descriptive name, stands out as an outlier among the top preferences. [10:30]

b. Length of Brand Names

• Preferred Length: Four out of five top names are six characters or fewer.
• Larger Dataset Analysis:
  • Most brand names (52%) are single-word, followed by 37% two-word and 11% three or more words.
  • Less than 10% exceed 14 characters.

Supporting Research: Rob references a 2012 study indicating that short, easy-to-pronounce names correlate with higher company valuations.

c. Initial Letter Analysis

• Common Starting Letters: Over 40% of brand names begin with C, A, P, or S, mirroring their frequency in the English language.
• Notable Trends:
  • X, Y, Z, and K are overrepresented in brand names compared to their occurrence in regular English words.
  • Vowels like E, I, O, U are underrepresented at the start of brand names.

Rob’s Insight:

"Letters like X and Z may be chosen for their distinctiveness and memorability." [15:20]

d. New Names vs. Renames vs. Mergers

• New Names: Generally preferred with a mean score of +28%.
• Renames: Slightly undervalued with a mean of -5%.
• Mergers/Acquisitions: Significantly least preferred with a mean of -28%.

Implications: Renaming efforts benefit from shortening and simplifying existing names to gain better acceptance.

5. Insights from Industry Professionals

Rob sought feedback from renowned namers to validate the report’s findings:

• Anthony Shore, Chief Operative at Operative Words:

  "The Brand New naming polls are really beauty contests judged by people largely outside the brand's target audiences. Who cares what they think?" [08:15]

• Scott Milano, Founder of Tange:

  "We see clients react more positively to real or coined names over compounds, both during the exploration phase and with the final names they launch." [12:00]

• Helen Gould, Chief Namer at 2x4:

  "Whether the general public likes a name is typically unimportant. What counts is the target audience's response and whether the name does what it needs to do." [22:10]

• Ken Pasternak, Chief Strategy Officer at 2x4:

  "The number one success factor in a name is the commitment of the organization to its name and how it uses it." [19:45]

• Armin Vit, Editor of Brand New:

  "Naming is one of the most difficult aspects of creating or reshaping a brand... there is no right or wrong approach... the thrill of one day getting a name just right." [25:30]

Takeaway: While the report provides valuable data trends, industry experts emphasize the importance of aligning names with target audiences and organizational commitment over broad popularity.

6. Conclusions

Rob Meyerson wraps up the episode by reinforcing the key takeaways from the Brand Names Report:

• Short and Simple: Shorter, two-syllable names tend to perform better.
• Type Matters: Real and coined names are generally favored over compound and abbreviated ones.
• Initial Letters: Distinctive starting letters like X, Y, Z, and K can enhance memorability.
• Context of Naming: New names have an edge, whereas renames and mergers face more challenges in gaining favorable perceptions.

Final Thoughts: The Brand Names Report offers insightful trends that align with established naming conventions, yet it also highlights the nuanced challenges in branding, such as audience specificity and organizational dedication.

Access the Full Report: For an in-depth analysis and detailed findings, download the Brand Names Report for free at howbrandsarebuilt.com/BrandNamesReport.

Listeners are encouraged to share their thoughts and questions about the report. If you found this summary insightful, please leave a rating and review on your preferred podcast platform.

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