Brands are now an integral part of our lives. As trademark applications continue during the pandemic, where human health has become paramount and business life has been reshaped within the framework of the new order, finding creative and eye-catching brand names is becoming increasingly difficult due to high demand. Destek Patent, which has been providing services in the field of intellectual and industrial property rights in Türkiye for 37 years, provided important information on the steps to follow in the brand creation process.
While the pandemic period changed the economic balances along with the priorities of all humanity, the continuation of trademark applications even during this period once again revealed how important and critical the branding of products is.
“You need to think outside the box”
Kemal Yamankaradeniz, Chairman of the Board of Destek Patent, which has maintained its sector leadership in the field of intellectual and industrial property rights in Türkiye since its founding, made important assessments about what needs to be done to find accurate and binding brand names:
This adventure, which began with people naming everything they see and use, has undoubtedly taken on a whole new dimension today. Because we've exhausted existing words. Therefore, finding a brand name requires a strong strategy and serious creativity. It's essential to 'think outside the box,' so to speak. We emphasize to our clients who use our brand naming services that, to find a brand that is both strategic and creative, it's crucial to conduct thorough research into the industry to be served, the target audience's perspective, and their perception. Furthermore, we follow a methodology that evaluates everything from letter selection and morphology to the geography where the product will originate. We believe these are all crucial criteria for finding the right brand.
The name that meets the needs brings the consumer closer to the brand.
Being a good brand requires meeting needs. One of the first points of contact between consumers and a brand is its name, and ensuring it meets their needs is the first step in drawing them closer to the brand. Identifying a need alone isn't enough. One must consider how the competition addresses this need, and one must closely examine and understand their competitors. Once the business strategy is established, the name-specific strategy begins. It's crucial to determine whether the brand's perception will appeal to a premium or mass market audience. Of course, there are inherent differences between being premium and appealing to a mass market.
Abstract nouns are one of the most frequently used methods
While creating concrete, descriptive names directly related to the category facilitates consumer perception, it also carries a high risk of imitation. Abstract names, on the other hand, are one of the most frequently used methods today, effectively exhausting existing words. These names are created by distorting various words and deriving them to suit the brand's image, or by creating a word by selecting letters that align with the brand's image. Naming is perhaps one of the most difficult methods.
Morphology creates significant consumer impact
Along with all this, the morphology of the name is also an important criterion. This includes determining how many words and letters the name will consist of. This also varies depending on the industry and business. A brand's morphology can also indicate its affiliation with a family or a category. For example, adding an X to the end of disinfecting cleaning products establishes a unified category.
What should be taken into consideration when choosing letters?
Finally, the use of letters is crucial. When choosing strong and masculine names, names with hard consonants like K, T, Z, etc. are preferred, while for feminine or softer-toned names, letters like O, S, and V can be used. Again, when choosing vowels, their pronunciation should be taken into consideration.
The pronunciation of brand names is of great importance
It's crucial that the names created don't have a negative connotation or be pronounceable in the geography where they will be used. Creating the right brand name is a challenging task. However, it also forms the foundation of the brand. Therefore, creating the right name requires strategy. It should be well planned, and expert guidance should be sought when starting brand investments.
To prevent imitation of your brand, in which you will invest for years, be sure to register your brand.
Kemal Yamankaradeniz, Chairman of the Board of Destek Patent, provided the following information about the brand name creation process:
Determining a brand name is, above all, a strategic and planned process. The name is one of the first points of contact between consumers and a brand. This involves research, briefing processes, and, most importantly, registration checks for the proposed brand. One of the most significant problems today is that everyone and everything is branded, and therefore, the number of names that can be registered is decreasing. To avoid future problems, it's essential to conduct research and studies on the name's registrability. In every market where the brand will be used (both domestic and international), its registration eligibility should be checked, and similarities with other brands should be examined. Once the brand is selected, it's essential to apply for trademark registration in the countries where it will be used. This is the only way to prevent imitations of your brand, which you've invested in for years.
