Podcast Summary: The Marketing Architects

Episode Title: Nerd Alert: When Brand Nicknames Help or Harm
Air Date: August 28, 2025
Hosts: Alena Jasper & Rob DeMars

Episode Overview

In this episode, Alena Jasper and Rob DeMars dive deep into the surprising effects of "nickname branding," exploring new research on whether brands benefit—or backfire—when they embrace the informal nicknames given to them by fans. Using real-world experiments and marketing studies, they break down how psychology and brand perception play crucial roles in whether adopting a nickname can help or harm a brand's bottom line.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

What Is Nickname Branding?

• Definition: When a brand adopts a nickname created organically by consumers (e.g., "Tarjay" for Target, "Beamer" for BMW) and uses it in official marketing.
• Prevalence: Brands increasingly use these nicknames in campaigns, on social media, signage, and product names.
• Research Basis: The episode is centered on the 2024 paper BMW is Powerful. Beamer is not: Nickname Branding Impairs Brand Performance by Zhang Ning Yi and Matthew Thompson.
  • Quote (01:23):
    “We know like Target for Target, Starbies for Starbucks, Nordy for Nordstrom, or Beamer for BMW. Consumers love using them as a signal of familiarity, sometimes even affection. But increasingly, brands are picking up these nicknames and using them in official campaigns.” — Alena Jasper

The Study’s Core Findings

• Research Covered:

  • Analyses across social media data, Facebook and TikTok ads, field studies, and price/willingness-to-pay experiments.

• Main Result:

  • Across 11 studies, nickname branding consistently decreased key metrics like engagement, purchase intent, and willingness to pay.
  • Quote (02:45):
    “When brands use their nicknames, they perform worse. And not just a little worse, significantly worse. They have lower engagement, lower purchase intent, and lower willingness to pay.” — Alena Jasper

• Theory Behind the Results:

  • Speech Act Theory: When a brand uses a nickname, it alters the perceived power dynamic in the brand-consumer relationship. Instead of being seen as fun or authentic, it’s perceived as the brand surrendering control over its identity (i.e., “trying too hard” or being submissive).
  • Quote (02:59):
    “It reads as submission, like the brand is giving up control of its own identity.” — Alena Jasper

Real-World Examples and Anecdotes

• Positive & Negative Nicknames:

  • Personal favorites include “Whole Paycheck” for Whole Foods (more negative) and “Tarjay” for Target (more playful).
  • Quote (01:10):
    “I always love calling Whole Foods Whole Paycheck. I don't know if that's a good... I don't know if that's a positive nickname, but feels very authentic.” — Rob DeMars

• Brand Identity Backfires:

  • When major brands attempt to sound “cool,” it often appears forced (e.g., Microsoft’s attempted “I’m a PC” campaign vs. Apple’s “I’m a Mac,” or awkward celebrity endorsements).
  • Quote (03:00):
    “When you're trying to sound cool instead of be cool... It was horrible.” — Rob DeMars

When (If Ever) Should Brands Adopt Nicknames?

• Host Perspectives:

  • Rob suggests nicknames are better received if they were truly earned organically, and contrasts strategic brand renamings (like KFC) with nickname branding.
  • Quote (04:36):
    “If it was earned or if there's a true strategy behind it... like McDonald's adopting Mickey D's.” — Rob DeMars

• Research Findings:

  • Nicknames are most damaging for “competent brands” (e.g., Rolex, IBM) that project authority and expertise.
  • For “warm brands” (e.g., local cafes, charities), the negative effect is less pronounced but still present.
  • Message Matters: Nicknames used in transactional contexts (e.g., “Buy your latte at Starbies!”) tank performance, while communal, belonging-focused messages reduce (but don’t erase) this effect.
    • Quote (05:52):
      “When the nickname appeared in a transactional ad, performance dropped hard. But when it appeared in a communal message, that effect softened.” — Alena Jasper

Important Distinctions

• Nickname Branding vs. Brand Renaming:
  • Strategic renames (Google → Alphabet, Dunkin’ Donuts → Dunkin’, KFC) are initiated by the company for specific reasons and do not carry the same loss of authority or authenticity as adopting a consumer-born nickname.
  • Quote (06:30):
    “Nickname branding is unique because it starts with the consumer. When the brand adopts it, it shifts this power dynamic away from where it's supposed to be.” — Alena Jasper

Most Notable Quotes and Moments

• Analogy:

  • “Letting your brand use its nickname is like showing up to your own roast and trying to tell the jokes. What made it charming was that someone else said it first. The minute you grab the mic, it stops being funny and starts feeling forced.” — Alena Jasper (RobGPT analogy) [07:05]

• Pop Culture Reference:

  • Alena references The Office roast episode to illustrate the awkwardness of brands co-opting something that’s only charming when grassroots. [08:00]

• Brand Confusion:

  • Rob is confused by “Starbies” (Starbucks) and jokes about Arby’s beefy connotation.
    • “If I'm Starbucks, I don't want to be called something that's, you know, akin to the meat. We gots the meats.” — Rob DeMars [08:45]

• Final Reflection:

  • Rob’s genuine surprise:
    • “I was really surprised. I thought that, really, that if you're loved enough by your audience to earn a nickname, that it would at least be net neutral. It wouldn't be bad.” — Rob DeMars [09:04]

Key Timestamps

• 00:41–03:00: What is nickname branding, and why do brands use it?
• 03:00–04:17: Examples of brands trying to sound casual and how it backfires
• 04:18–05:52: Research deep dive—when nickname branding is most damaging, distinction between competent and warm brands, and how messaging context matters
• 07:05: RobGPT analogy—why brands “telling their own jokes” kills the charm
• 08:22–08:45: Starbies confusion—when nicknames don’t translate across generations
• 09:04: Rob’s surprised reaction to the counterintuitive findings

Takeaways for Marketers

• Don’t rush to embrace fan-given nicknames: It makes brands look less authoritative and authentic.
• Beware especially if your brand is built on competence: The damage is greater for brands that rely on perceptions of expertise and control.
• Strategic name changes are different: Internal renaming (like “KFC”) doesn’t carry this loss of authenticity.
• If you must reference a nickname, do it in contexts of community—not transaction.
• Remember: The magic of nicknames is that they come from consumers, not the brand.