What’s in a name?

Naming is important, yes. But, as we know from looking at some of the world’s biggest brands, the choice of name is only a tiny piece of the picture. Exceptional brands aren’t created overnight. They are built over time. But they all begin with solid foundations and a clear vision that is articulated across all touchpoints, with bespoke branding, iconography, film, imagery, tone-of-voice and motivating marketing material that speaks to identified insights and resonates with the intended audiences.

A name is rarely seen without context – the supporting layers of brand and imagery that deliver how it is understood and appreciated. Take Kodak for example. The word was made up by George Eastman and is completely meaningless. He intended it to be an onomatopoeic suggestion of the click of a camera shutter. Not the actual sound. Just the suggestion. An idea captured in a word. Wonderful.

Over time, with consistent application and reinforcement, a name takes on deeper meaning and social currency. This isn’t to say that brands based on a name remain static, they evolve over time, to stay current and relevant.

At Theola, whichever name we choose, our intention is that it should always inform the visual identity, and leverage its unique personality and tone of voice, enabling it to build equity over time.