Opinion

Iconic Illusions & Lost Mindshare

Now measure your iconic ranking, instantly ….and test your iconic brand standing in five easy steps

Every single big or small mega brand organisation is convinced that their name identity is iconic, but only less than 1 percent is correct. Because, there are three types of iconic status: Healthy, Injured and Life-support

Corporations must know the hidden powers of their iconic standings and name brand identities. Each business name identity has several unique nomenclature components often invisible to founders and marketing executives and these characteristics and split personalities determine the success or failure of a name. To measure the effectiveness of a name or to see how much extra luggage a name is burdened with, following are the guidelines for a general check up.

Today, good corporate and brand name identities skate at bullet speed on this flat new earth, a place without borders or passports, time zones or delays. Under the new rules the global age name driven economy is humming along with help of the now-ubiquitous advance e-commerce platforms.

The right name works like a key, which can open the doors of this iconic kingdom. Indeed, for marketers, who must learn to play on this one flat earth, the competitive fog is so thick that; without the right key the name identity is simply doomed. Marketing is now a global challenge; name identities must be able to perform on the global e-commerce; any other idea of being just simply local should be thrown out. We live in a global age driven by new global rules and there is no escape from it. SO ARE ALL THE ‘GREAT NAMES’ GONE?

Only a myth, established over a long period of time, organisations were convinced that star quality names were all taken and they had to accept whatever weird, silly names could be delivered by their creative teams, who, despite delivering awardwinning logos and commercials, seriously failed in naming. A false myth was created to cover the lack of skills and naming has traditionally been farmed out to freelancers for Five hundred bucks got you 500 names. Where else would names like come from?

It is a false rumour that all good names have been taken. But one must understand what makes a good name today.

This is all about the structure of name and its impact and not about its type font, logos or slogans. Equally important is now the acute visibility in global e-commerce, a powerful micro-multinational formation in a maze of countries and cultures. A star quality name not only has instant accessibility and quick search-ability on complex e-commerce, but must be distinct and memorable to an overly strained populace typing with tired fingers. The old-fashioned gigantic logos and splashing colours and stripes have nothing to do with this. No delays, no barriers, just access to the name is where the magic is hidden.

No matter what a name is used for, either a corporation or conglomerate, consumer brand, trust, union, bank, government agency or a web portal, it is still a name to a customer, and it must achieve its goal. All names are seeking attention from investors, shareholders or customers, while trying to prove their point of view. Good names have direct impact on corporate persona and positively influence customers, shareholders, media and public opinion at large.

SO, HOW DOES A NAME MEASURES UP?

As the rating below will reveal, many corporate names on the list may be in serious need of re-evaluation for their relative positioning on the national scene and also the emerging global markets. A QUICK EVALUATION...TEST online There are three types of names, Healthy, Injured or on Life Support.

HEALTHY NAMES:

When a name is fit to play the game, it can join the race and sprint to win. Award yourself with a star for each of the following five healthy name criteria if it applies to the name.

1- Easy to Use

Is the name very easy to understand? Spell, type, talk about or refer to? This name is linguistically acceptable as a transparent word-mark in the global marketplace. (Examples: Sony, Microsoft.)

many corporate names may be in serious need of re-evaluation for their relative positioning on the national scene and also the emerging global markets.