By Danielle Goldmark
Get insight into CASE Agency's impactful work with world-class brands.
Brands have as little as a tenth of a second to make a first impression, whether it’s via a fleeting Instagram story or a Google search result. That time limit has perpetuated the industry-wide advice for memorable, succinct, easy-to-pronounce brand names. CASE, along with the most successful beauty brands, have long followed this rule: launching with a brand name that transforms a few text characters into a sensory and emotional experience. Here’s an inside look at our brand naming process.
Where to Start
Naming a brand is a creative process with twists and turns, and you may find yourself feeling discouraged only to have a sudden breakthrough. Trust the process and have patience — your brand will thank you later. Below are real-world examples of how we took a brand to the next level.
Brainstorm Broadly, Then Narrow Your Focus
When working with Jen Atkin to create OUAI, our team developed a list of over 100 potential names before we began to whittle it down. With OUAI, we started with the casual French word for yeah, OUAIS. Drop the S (for fun, and for trademark-ability) and we got OUAI. Abstract yet familiar, OUAI evokes the classic “it” girl and her effortless beauty.
With that one syllable, the brand attracted millions seeking an off-duty fashion model vibe. OUAI hit the shelves to become one of Sephora's fastest-selling brands.
Keep It Concise
Epres, pronounced “ee-pray”, is the new high-performance hair care line by world-renowned materials scientist Eric Pressly, PhD.
Its simple branding highlights the simplicity of the product itself. The brand name had to emulate this simplicity, while nodding to the backstory of this revolutionary hair care brand. We created an abbreviated version of the founder’s name that alludes to the French word “après”, meaning “after”, signifying the transformative impact of his line.
Don’t Overthink It
The sign of a great creative is that they trust the brand development process — AKA if it works, it works. In the case of best-selling skincare brand Summer Fridays, we worked with the brand to capture the carefree whimsy of a summer memory, emphasizing the act of romanticizing your life.
The name rolls off the tongue and piques curiosity. Combined with a strong brand story and distinct packaging, Summer Fridays is hard to forget. To keep our team from overthinking the brand naming process, we keep the below scorecard in mind:
The Final Stretch
You’ve narrowed down your brand naming ideas to the punchiest 3-5 names. Now what? These four questions help us cover all our bases before landing on a go-forward brand name.
Have You Looked Beyond the Obvious?
Idea generation experts encourage quantity and leave no stone unturned, no matter how silly. Some of the strangest brand names have become normalized through the success of their products — just look at Apple or Hulu.
Can People Find It?
With any brand name, a Google search is the first step to knowing what your new brand may have to compete with on the web in order to be found by potential customers.
Will People Remember It?
If you've ever had the experience of hearing a product recommendation and then forgetting the name, you will understand the importance of memorability.
Does It Work in Context?
How a name works together with logo, color, copy, market and the brand activation is all part of the brand story. It's the visual and verbal pairing to evoke the feeling of the brand.
In Need of a Partner?
CASE has refined our strategy-driven approach to naming through working with dozens of iconic brands. Informed by data, expertise, and our trusted process, we help brands craft unforgettable brand names that make consumers fall in love — over and over again. Let's work together.
For a deeper dive into Brand Naming, check out “Brand Naming” by Rob Meyerson.