Name generators are typically software-based tools that allow a user to create names of a variety of types for different purposes. Some name generators have serious applications, and are used by writers and video gamers to come up with names for their characters. An author might use a name generator that uses census data to come up with names for his characters. There are also specialty name generators that will generate only fantasy names or science fiction names. Software-based name generators have been around at least since 1994.
Unlike their full service marketing counterparts, naming firms specialize entirely in the linguistic art/science of creating product and company names. Currently there are about 50 naming firms globally. Naming has become big business, with some larger companies investing upwards of $500,000 to create a new brand name. One of the big drivers has been pharmaceutical corporations with their growing pipeline of new medicines, each needing its own place in the market. This demand, combined with stringent naming criteria of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), has caused many in the health care field to look for expert assistance. In addition available domain names have become increasingly scarce, with over 85 million names registered as of 2005. This places an additional brand burden on emerging internet based firms.
Typically, naming firms used to charge anywhere from US$30,000 to US$80,000 or more to develop a company or product brand name. This will often include the creation of a list or multiple lists of brand name candidates, suggested tag lines or positioning statements, the domain name status of each name, and (depending on the firm), logo design/corporate identity. The fees may also include market research and consumer focus group testing. Many naming firms will also provide trademark services as part of their process. Once the exclusive realm of Fortune 500 companies, an increasing number of small business owners and consultants have turned to "namers" to help clear a spot for their new business or product.
However, not all businesses can afford such services and this has given rise to dedicated naming agencies that handle only naming, even for small clients.
For those who go it alone, most naming professionals advise to run any potential new name through their government's trademark database (For example, the United States Patent and Trademark Office for US only brand names) as a starting point, and to check state and local web sites as well. Almost every naming firm will advise potential new businesses to run a self created list of names by a trademark attorney for added safety. Since legal fees are often exorbitant, you may want to use a naming consultant first to help narrow down the list, and only use the lawyers for the final two or three names.
An umbrella brand is an overarching brand used across multiple related products. Umbrella branding is also known as family branding. It contrasts with individual product branding, in which each product in a portfolio is given a unique brand name and identity.There are often economies of scope associated with umbrella branding since multiple products can be efficiently promoted with a single advertisement or campaign. Umbrella branding facilitates new product introductions by providing a familiar brand name, which can lead to trial purchase, product acceptance, or other advantages.Umbrella branding may impose on the brand owner a greater burden to maintain consistent quality. If the quality of one product in the brand family is compromised, it could impact on the reputation of all the others. For this reason umbrella branding is generally limited to product lines that consist of products of similar quality.
A good example is AMUL - Amul Butter, Amul Cheese, Amul Milk, Amul Icecream, Amul Chocolates etc
Family branding is a marketing strategy that involves selling several related products under one brand name. Family branding is also known as umbrella branding. It contrasts with individual product branding, in which each product in a portfolio is given a unique brand name and identity.There are often economies of scope associated with family branding since several products can be efficiently promoted with a single advertisement or campaign. Family branding facilitates new product introductions by evoking a familiar brand name, which can lead to trial purchase, product acceptance, or other advantages.Family branding imposes on the brand owner a greater burden to maintain consistent quality. If the quality of one product in the brand family is compromised, it could impact on the reputation of all the others. For this reason family branding is generally limited to product lines that consist of products of similar quality.
Corporate branding is the practice of using a company's name as a product brand name. It is an attempt to use corporate brand equity to create product brand recognition. It is a type of family branding or umbrella brand. Disney, for example, includes the word "Disney" in the name of many of its products; other examples include IBM and Heinz. This strategy contrasts with individual product branding, where each product has a unique brand name and the corporate name is not promoted to the consumer.
Corporate branding can result in significant economies of scope since one advertising campaign can be used for several products. It also facilitates new product acceptance because potential buyers are already familiar with the name. However, this strategy may hinder the creation of distinct brand images or identities for different products: an overarching corporate brand reduces the ability to position a brand with an individual identity, and may conceal different products' unique characteristics.
Corporate branding is not limited to a specific mark or name. Branding can incorporate multiple touchpoints. These touchpoints include; logo, customer service, treatment and training of employees, packaging, advertising, stationery, and quality of products and services. Any means by which the general public comes into contact with a specific brand constitutes a touchpoint that can affect perceptions of the corporate brand.
It has been argued that successful corporate branding often stems from a strong coherence between what the company’s top management seek to accomplish (their strategic vision), what the company’s employees know and believe (lodged in its organizational culture), and how its external stakeholders perceived the company (their image of it). Misalignments between these three factors, in turn, may indicate an underperforming corporate brand. This type of corporate brand analysis has been labeled the Vision-Culture-Image (VCI) Alignment Model.
Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) is defined as customer centric, data driven method of communicating with the customers. IMC is the coordination and integration of all marketing communication tools, avenues, functions and sources within a company into a seamless program that maximizes the impact on consumers and other end users at a minimal cost. This management concept is designed to make all aspects of marketing communication such as advertising, sales promotion, public relations, and direct marketing work together as a unified force, rather than permitting each to work in isolation.
The Foundation - corporate image and brand management; buyer behavior; promotions opportunity analysis.
Advertising Tools - advertising management, advertising design: theoretical frameworks and types of appeals; advertising design: message strategies and executional frameworks; advertising media selection. Advertising also reinforces brand and firm image.
Promotional Tools - trade promotions; consumer promotions; personal selling, database marketing, and customer relations management; public relations and sponsorship programs.
Integration Tools - Internet Marketing; IMC for small business and entrepreneurial ventures; evaluating and integrated marketing program.
The Internet has changed the way business is done in the current world. The variables of segmentation, targeting and positioning are addressed differently. The way new products and services are marketed have changed even though the aim of business in bringing economic and social values remain unchanged. Indeed, the bottom line of increasing revenue and profit are still the same. Marketing has evolved to more of connectedness, due to the new characteristics brought in by the Internet. Marketing was once seen as a one way, with firms broadcasting their offerings and value proposition. Now it is seen more and more as a conversation between marketers and customers. Marketing efforts incorporate the "marketing mix". Promotion is one element of marketing mix. Promotional activities include advertising (by using different media), sales promotion (sales and trades promotion), and personal selling activities. It also includes Internet marketing, sponsorship marketing, direct marketing, database marketing and public relations. Integration of all these promotional tools, along with other components of marketing mix, is a way to gain an edge over a competitor.
The starting point of the IMC process is the marketing mix that includes different types of marketing, advertising, and sales efforts. Without a complete IMC plan there is no integration or harmony between client and customers. The goal of an organization is to create and maintain communication throughout its own employees and throughout its customers.
Integrated marketing is based on a master marketing plan. This plan should coordinate efforts in all components of the marketing mix. A marketing plan consists of the following six steps:
Situation analysis
Marketing objectives
Marketing budget
Marketing strategies
Marketing tactics
Evaluation of performance
Brand language is the body of words, phrases, and terms that an organization uses to describe its purpose or in reference to its products. Brand language is used in marketing to help consumers connect specific words or ideas to specific companies or products. When developing a brand language word choice and tone are the two fundamental components. Word choice is the vocabulary that is used in the marketing or advertising, while tone refers to the attitude of the advertisement. Tone is not limited to language, it can also be incorporated through visual elements as well as delivery.
Brand language is a part of verbal brand identity, includes naming of both corporation and the products they sell as well as taglines, voice, and tone.Another benefit of developing a brand language is the ability for a corporation or product to be recognizable across international borders, while other advertising codes can be misinterpreted, words can be translated to ensure brand unity.
As a part of the advertising world brand language's primary function is to identify a company or product and also differentiate that company/product from competitors. The language is used to get the attention of the consumer and then to relay information about what is being advertised. It is also used to ensure that when people communicate about the product there are less misunderstandings and more clarity about purpose and the role that this commodity wants to play in the lives of the consumer.
The brand language can also be associated with competing for investors, recruiting talent, or acquiring business partners.
Brand language is also often used internally within a company. For motivational and leadership situations branding language helps to promote the brand values and is treated as a commodity alongside the actual products and/or company.
When positive words become strongly associated with particular brands, these words can become assets—to the point that competing brands may find the words difficult to use. For example, in his book Brand Sense (Kogan Page, 2005) Martin Lindstrom quotes extensive word association research carried out by Millward Brown demonstrating the strong link between the words “magic” and “kingdom” and Disney. Disney appears to have made a successful investment in “owning” these words. Lindstrom’s studies found that Disney has the highest number of words that are associated with one specific brand (among brands that were surveyed). Along with “magic” and “kingdom” Disney has been shown to have branded the words: “dreams,” “creativity,” “fantasy,” “smiles” and “generation”. The study that he conducted asked people to associate those words with a brand and over 80% of people asked said that they thought of Disney. Part of the reason that Disney has been so successful is that they are able to seamlessly integrate traditional and new media markets in a way that allows them to reach large audiences with a stable continuous message.
Other campaigns that have powerful brand language recognition are Kellogg’s and Gillette. Part of the idea with branded language is to go beyond just a slogan and to imbue ordinary words with the idea or essence of a particular brand. With Kellogg’s the word that is associated with them is “crunch” with With Gillette the word that consumers see as synonymous with the brand is “masculine.” In this case the word masculine also conjures socially constructed ideologies, which helps the brand become a more stable construction the mind of consumers.
Individual branding, also called individual product branding or multibranding, is the marketing strategy of giving each product in a portfolio its own unique brand name. This contrasts with family branding, corporate branding, and umbrella branding in which the products in a product line are given a single overarching brand name. The advantage of individual branding is that each product has an image and identity that is unique. This facilitates the positioning of each product, by allowing a firm to position its brands differently.
Examples of individual product branding include Procter & Gamble, which markets multiple brands such as Pampers, and Unilever, which markets individual brands such as Dove.
Personal branding is, for some people, a description of the process whereby people and their careers are marked as brands. It has been noted that while previous self-help management techniques were about self-improvement, the personal branding concept suggests instead that success comes from self-packaging. Further defined as the creation of an asset that pertains to a particular person or individual; this includes but is not limited to the body, clothing, appearance and knowledge contained within, leading to an indelible impression that is uniquely distinguishable.The term is thought to have been first used and discussed in a 1997 article by Tom Peters.
Personal branding often involves the application of one's name to various products. For example, celebrity real-estate mogul Donald Trump uses his last name extensively on his buildings and on the products he endorses (e.g., Trump Steaks).
Personal branding, self-positioning and all individual branding by whatever name, was first introduced in 1937 in the book Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill. He introducted the idea Chapter 6, Organized Planning, in the section 'Planning the Sale of Services'. He speaks about the "ways and mean of marketing personal services". The idea surfaced later in the 1981 book: "Positioning: The Battle for your Mind", by Al Ries and Jack Trout . More specifically in "Chapter 23. Positioning Yourself and Your Career - You can benefit by using positioning strategy to advance your own career. Key principle: Don’t try to do everything yourself. Find a horse to ride".
It was later popularised by Tom Peters and more recently by Dan Schawbel.
In the context of fashion magazines, the "aspirational model" offers readers continuing (and continually changing) fashion, beauty, and physical ideals to which they can aspire but, perhaps, never actually achieve. Criticized for this approach, magazine editors have claimed that their readers do not want to see "real-life" models or the way that beauty products and clothes look on "real women"; that they buy the magazines in the first place because they prefer the aspirational fantasies, and in the second, because they continually hope that by following the advice or buying the products, they will achieve the ever-changing looks that the magazine promotes via the models and photographic/technological wizardry.
Aspirational brand strategies are strategies designed to reposition a brand within a marketplace. The idea is that brand can lead organizational change and lead consumer opinion about a brand. Aspirational brand strategies are used when the current image of the brand is either negative or no longer relevant to the company.
A classic example of a company repositioning a brand aspirationally is The McGraw-Hill Companies. Consumer research showed that the general public strongly associated the name McGraw-Hill with school text books. While education products remain a pillar of the company, the business owns other well-known brands such as Standard & Poor's, McGraw-Hill Education, Platts, and J.D. Power & Associates. The company has repositioned around the aspiration of providing people "with the information and insights they need to adapt and grow in changing times" with the tagline of "About a Smarter, Better World".
Companies should use great care in employing an aspirational brand strategy. The company needs to be structured around truly delivering on the promise and must have employees who understand the brand goals and actively and daily work to achieve them. BP learned the dangers of aspirational branding during the summer of 2010 during the BP/Deepwater Oil Spill disaster. As the article BP: Disingenuously Branding explains, the aspiration of the company to be environmentally friendly and "Beyond Petroleum" backfired in a big way.
