Naming a new company can be a challenge. Here are five key points to help get it right. Every startup faces a common dilemma — what to call their budding new venture. It seems like…
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The difference between naming a company and branding a company is the difference between sharing a simple hello vs. sharing a great conversation.…
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Let’s face it… when it comes to creating a company or product brand name, it’s a real jungle out there. With thousands of new businesses starting each day, stand out brand names can seem like…
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Changing your company name requires careful consideration and planning to achieve a successful outcome.…
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The right strategy makes all the difference As companies grow, product lines expand and market conditions change, business owners often find themselves with a company brand image that no longer reflects who they are or…
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One of the "stickiest" of all company branding techniques is rhyming. From Stub Hub to Piggly Wiggly, here's a list of creative (and memorable) businesses that have used rhyming in their name, to establish and…
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The start of most business introductions begins with the mention of the company name. So just how important is this little piece of verbal real estate? Is a better company name worth re-printing all the…
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How small start ups make big gains in a short time We’ve all witnessed it – the seemingly overnight success of some start ups that begs the question “what am I doing wrong here?” Is…
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Trying to name a company is no simple task. But with the right budget, expert help is available.…
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4 Strategies for Company Naming Success Corporation names form the cornerstone of a company’s brand strategy. They set the mood, tone, and personality of the organization. Typically the corporate name serves a more background, or supportive…
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Knowing what position your company occupies in your industry will help differentiate your from your competitors…
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Three Branding Strategies for Creating a Solid Corporate Identity When it comes to finding the right company name, a lot depends on the industry sector and competitive landscape. For financial services companies, where credibility is…
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Trademarking can be tricky — check out these five tips to help protect your brand identity This article outlines five key principles that business owners should be aware of when it comes to (i) staying…
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Is Your Business Name Causing More Harm Than Good? Here’s How You Can Know… There comes a time in the life cycle of many established businesses when the owner wonders if the original company name…
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Remember the good old days when you could curl up on your company home page and wait for customers to drop by? Sure, you may have had to buy a few Google Adwords here and…
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The backlash at Netflix’s new company name borders on hysterical. Brand loyalty can “qwikly” turn to brand hatred when these five business rebranding rules are ignored… 1. A company name change should be prompted by…
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For most savvy marketers, social media has grown from a curiosity to a vital component of their online strategy. According to a survey conducted by Regus, nearly 50% of U.S. based businesses use some form…
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If you’ve seen a multitude of those quirky black and white boxes that look like a cross between a bar code and a Rorschach test, you are not alone. They’ve popped up on everything from plant containers…
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Lots of factors go into a great company brand, first among them, the business name itself. For many aspiring entrepreneurs and internet start ups, the prime consideration is search engine optimization. Launching a new company on…
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Why settle with a last name? Use these three options for building an effective and timeless brand name! For consulting firms and other start up companies, few items are more important than the company brand…
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When people mention the word “brand” they usually mean a well-known, well-defined company. That’s why consumers frequently mention names like Target, Rolex, Apple, BMW and others who have done an excellent job in crafting an…
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It used to be that Apple and perhaps 3M owned the mental space for innovation. But Dyson is now joining the pack. Not satisfied to stop with their game changing vacuum cleaner technology, they continue…
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Most business owners know enough about the power of effective branding to know they want it – they’re just not sure what “it” is. To make better sense of the mysterious subject of branding, here…
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When it comes to putting your best foot forward, you can’t do much better than this high stepping brand name. Sole Society works on so many levels. It contains a hint of it’s industry in…
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Gone are the days when companies could hide behind a few carefully crafted collateral pieces as their main form of expression. (e.g. “Here, take one of our brochures.”) With the advent of the internet, blogging,…
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It seems that every ten to twenty years a game changer emerges in the market place. At first it may seem innocuous, even trendy or “geeky.” For those Gen Y and above, the Internet…
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So just as the advent of superhighways changed the epicenter of consumption from downtowns to mega malls, the emerging mobile age will shift us from desktops shoppers to real time buyers.…
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Great branding can often improve a new company's chances of survival by enhancing its identity and improving its clarity.…
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When creating a new company, product or service, many entrepreneurs treat the naming of their business as an afterthought or final detail that needs nailing down before the big launch. With this thinking, the success…
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I’ve had the good fortune to speak to a number of business groups for the past several months on the subject of “Brilliant Branding.” From all the interactions, I gleaned an important insight… Branding is…
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How good are you at telling a story? Not so hot? Well then it’s time to brush up and hone that skill because your business, every business, is basically a story. And how well you…
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Many business owners sincerely believe they understand their company brand. They can describe it, quantify it and explain its place in the market. They can recount corporate history and accomplishments and detail future plans and…
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When Cingular decided to create a cellular phone for young children, they needed a name that would resonate with both them and their parents. The result was Firefly – a name that not only fits…
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Just what is proper branding worth to a new company or startup? It is really all that important? Is it just a name, and if so, why not use the employee suggestion box and simply…
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Each week frustrated business owners call me, exhausted from their latest company naming marathon. They’ve spent dozens, (if not hundreds) of hours in valuable staff time churning out endless lists of ideas, suggestions, brainstorms, etc.…
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The one constant in business is change. Nearly every product, service or solution gets replaced by something newer, better, and “different-er” than before. Take mobile texting for example. All three of my teenagers live on…
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So perhaps these aren’t the best economic times. Business is off and you’re feeling a bit frantic. You wonder if you should slash prices across the board, make new offers, lay off staff, or…
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After the wild ride that was ’08, many business owners are asking themselves just where to invest their time, energy and money in the new year. From dealing with hundreds of business owners each year,…
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Central to the business of naming and branding is the core issue of identity. And never has this issue been more relevant than in the past several months. Most of the time we give our…
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Branding a small business or start up can have it’s share of challenges — the two biggest ones being lack of money and know-how. Here are some inside tips from a branding expert on how…
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One of the most common mistakes in company branding occurs when business owners tie their corporate identity to cyclical products and services vs. their key strengths and attributes. In other words, they become famous for…
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What makes a company brand magnetic — one that effortlessly attracts customers, revenue, media attention and employees alike? A quick examination of the laws of nature will reveal the answers. Forces such as magnetism and…
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It’s easy to think that because you have a name, logo and tag line, that you have a brand. But corporate identity is just the first step in building a brand image. The company name,…
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Many business owners spend the majority of their time, money and energy promoting their products and services instead of building their brand message. If your main emphasis is on your product offerings, then you don’t have a…
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Improve Your Image and Your Bottom Line When asked, most business owners will admit that their companies have changed, adapted and evolved over time, to better serve their clients needs. These natural course corrections will…
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When Kathy Gruhn came to us for a name for her child development program, we wanted something that could serve as a long term brand. The result was My Baby Compass, a comprehensive guide for…
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One of the most common refrains I hear when naming a new business is “I’ll know the right company name when I hear it.” That may or may not be true. It also may or…
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Be sure to vote now through June 30th, 2010 for a $20,000 corporate branding makeover for America’s most deserving non-profit charity. Here are the four finalists! MISSSEY Missey is one of a few organizations in…
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Build Your Identity on Core Values for Enduring Financial Success Many business owners spend much of their time, money and energy promoting their products and services instead of building their brand image. If your main…
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Optimizing your brand message can maximum your web exposure if carefully planned and executed.…
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You read it right! From now until April 30th, Tungsten Branding will be receiving nominations for a complete brand makeover for America’s most deserving charity. To qualify, it must be a 501c corporation with a…
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Great brands are like big pine trees, they work year around. I sometimes refer to these as “perennial” brand names, since they don’t have to be “replanted” every new season, or every time a company…
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Picture the Perfect Business Name If a picture is truly worth one thousand words, then what better way to convey your corporate brand than with a metaphor? The hyperinflation of news and information requires branding…
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When companies face a public relations crises, it’s easy to overlook the effects it has on the various brand messages. But if not monitored carefully, they can have the reverse effect. Take the recent example…
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In a recent study released by Rice University, of the Toyota faithful, “Toyota owners maintained a more positive view of the company than their counterparts.” Furthermore the survey found that… “When Toyota owners were asked…
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Traditional thinking is that consumers will pay a premium for a brand name vs. an unbranded or store brand product. That thinking has faced a stiff challenge in the face of the recent economic downturn…
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When confronted with naming a company, most business owners fall into one of two groups… • Those trying to solve a naming problem • Those trying to convey their company image The first group views…
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In my branding presentations, I frequently discuss the importance of knowing your company’s “pivot point,” the common thread that runs through all your products and service offerings. Without that knowledge, companies tend to behave as…
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When the much anticipated, must-have, Apple gadget debuted this week it was met with a collective “huh?” Part of it was due to the branding. Instead of choosing a unique name that creates and/or redefines…
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Naming an Internet based business or start-up can be a daunting task. Do you follow the zany likes of Google and Yahoo, or do you go the more literal route of Hotels.com and Cars.com? Do…
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A brand naming firm that’s worth its salt will do more than deliver a creative business name. They will see the proverbial “big picture” and set you up with a future marketing platform that will…
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The most common company naming trap is this – creating a new business name that’s accurate and descriptive, but utterly forgettable. And it’s easy to see how it happens. Unlike real life application, naming is…
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Distilling the Essence of Your Business You’re at a conference. Someone steps in the elevator, notices your name tag and asks, “So what do you guys do?” Quick — what’s your answer? You’ve got about…
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Let’s face it — finding a good domain name is tough these days. Over 100 million domains have already been registered, and from all accounts, the trend is not likely to stop soon. So what’s…
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It’s a gro wing dilemma, one that business owners and marketing directors are encountering more frequently each year–the growing shortage of good company names. It used to be quite simple. You simply gathered the key…
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If you ever attempted naming your new company or rebranding your business, then you probably have an appreciation for the difficulty involved in the process. It’s not just brainstorming names, it’s also creating a coherent…
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Is it possible to actually “own” a word in everyone’s mind? The short answer is “Yes!”. (Or perhaps Yahoo!) You can own just about any word in any language, or even create new ones, if…
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The mantra in branding has always been consistency, consistency, consistency. But of late, I’ve been asked about logo updates, thanks in large part to the ever changing look of the iconic Google logo. Google will…
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According to a number of economists, the coming year should usher in the much promised turnaround. One of the fears, expressed by our president and a number of leaders, is that businesses will have become…
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Driving home the other day I noticed an approaching billboard with a striking statement… “BELIEVE IN Something BETTER.” The letters were all caps except for the word “something” which was underscored for added emphasis. Intrigued,…
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"Ideally, a company's identity should revolve around one "pivot point," a common thread that runs through everything a company says and does."…
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The irony of naming a new company is that the quickest fix (giving the company a literal/descriptive name) creates the most enduring problem. Witness the latest iteration in “fixing” the Radio Shack brand. To bring…
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Great brand names can provide a handle, not just to your product, but to your entire industry.…
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Let’s face it… Microsoft has never been the leader when it comes to cool brand names. But that might be changing. This past week, the folks in Redmond, WA announced the new name for their…
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For those who don’t believe that naming is powerful stuff, look no further than the latest pending pandemic, now known as the H1N1 virus. As humans, we have an inherent need to label things. It…
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It’s tough to give up a legacy product name, no matter how goofy or unrelated it sounds. I saw a TV ad this weekend announcing that Electrasol, the tried and trusted name in dishwasher detergents,…
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We’ve all seen it… the handyman or landscaper or computer repair technician with the best of intentions. Not having any real sense of their value proposition, or unique marketing position, or key differentiator, etc. —…
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I took a call from Jason Del Rey a few weeks back about an interesting branding story he was working for Inc. Magazine, for which he needed an expert opinion. Skinner Baking Company had long…
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Looking to create a new company name? Ask yourself these four important branding questions before creating your new business identity. With the all the bumps in the economy the past few years, many experienced mid…
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Newsday.com did a nice feature piece on the in and outs of online branding for small businesses. Tungsten was featured as one of the expert sources for the story. For our part, we emphasized the…
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Over the past year, I’ve witnessed a gradual course change among successful entrepreneurs and business owners. While the initial response to the economic slowdown was a universal “hunker down” mentality, it now appears to be…
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In dealing with business owners worldwide this past year, one trend stands out sharply. The successful firms are ones moving forward, but doing so prudently. Rather than shuttering the windows and drawing the shades they’ve…
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If you’ve tried your hand at creating a new company name, you may have found it a bit daunting — brainstorming hundreds of ideas, developing a meaningful brand message, obtaining the matching .com domain, passing…
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When speaking with potential clients about their naming and branding needs, one word in particular raises the proverbial red flag higher than any other — and it might surprise you. That word is “educate.” Yes,…
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In a “down economy” (are you just a bit tired of hearing that phrase?) it’s easy to resort to knee jerk reactions when it comes to marketing your brand. When business is good, it just…
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Inc.com today announced their list of the top ten best and worst company names of all time, based on feedback of top naming experts nationwide. Tungsten Branding’s recommendations comprised two of the top ten names…
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A couple of days ago, the Wall Street Journal heralded the death of an era with this headline “Extinction Threatens Yellow-Pages Publishers.” There was a time, and not so long ago, when I could only…
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The amazing story just broke today that “astronomers at NASA and the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory used direct-imaging techniques to capture pictures of newly discovered planets orbiting stars outside our solar system.” The names of…
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Tungsten Branding recently completed a product naming assignment for Cerona Networks, a provider of spectrally efficient satellite network solutions. That is to say they know how to connect a lot of people, quickly and effectively.…
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If there ever was a year for change, this is it. Changes in the stock market, the housing market, the elections, etc. etc. And it doesn’t stop there. Consumers are also changing the way they…
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For years I’ve looked for ways to provide big corporate branding expertise to smaller companies, entrepreneurs, start ups, consultants and solo-preneurs. After all, many of them face the same challenges of defining themselves, finding their…
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When it comes to creating and building a brand name, most companies feel compelled to file protective trademarks and establish rigid guidelines to protect their image. Yet some of the most well known brands in …
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When I met Tim Shannon, CEO of Dale Jarrett Racing Adventure, he had a familiar problem. His industry had become saturated, hyper competitive and market share was shrinking. Faced with this challenge, Tim did what…
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I’ll confess… not every great brand name comes from Tungsten. Ouch! There, I said it. It seems to be good sport these days to make fun of the names that other naming firms create, and…
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If you ever wanted to know more about the effects of branding, then simply follow politics. This year we saw Hillary Clinton attempt to own “experience” early in her run for office. When it didn’t…
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I have a confession to make. The things I teach are really the things I want to know. For years I’ve been advocating the importance of defining who you are as a company, not what…
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Laura Ries makes a compelling case for the addictive quality of creating line/brand extensions. In her view, the temptation to increase market share, by borrowing on the equity in a well established brand, is just…
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If you listened to the news, you’d be tempted to shutter your business, buy lots of canned goods, hunker down in your basement and wait for spring ’09 (at a minimum.) That’s because our minds’…
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The good folks at LaunchWizards.com recently interviewed us on effective naming strategies for start up businesses. In it, we cover the numerous naming and branding pitfalls that companies face when creating a new identity. (The…
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Every day I get asked about naming, as in “what does it cost for a new company name?” I’ve found that the answer depends on what the phrase “company name” means to the questioner. By…
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