Naming in an AI Age

Mike Carr emphasizes the importance of having a strong reason for changing a company's name and involving the CEO throughout the process, citing examples like United Airlines' failed attempt and Amfac Parks and Resorts' successful rebranding to Xanterra under new leadership.

Mike Carr discusses the challenges of naming products or brands in China due to the vast linguistic differences between English and Mandarin, with Mandarin having over 50,000 characters compared to English's 26 letters. Translating English names into Mandarin requires careful consideration to avoid negative or confusing meanings, exemplified by Coca-Cola's initial Mandarin translation. Carr advises on the importance of checking for trademark infringement and considering social media handles, suggesting assistance from law firms like Hogan Lovells or thorough research. While current AI capabilities may not fully support Chinese naming, Carr sees potential for future advancements.

Naming can become a "house of cards" when there is no clear structure or strategy in place. Just like a house with multiple remodels and different styles, a company's naming can become disorganized and confusing through organic growth, mergers, and acquisitions. To avoid this, a naming architecture is needed, similar to a blueprint for a house. One popular type of naming architecture is the branded house, where there is one master brand and all other names are intuitive and descriptive. An example is FedEx, with FedEx Ground, FedEx Freight, and FedEx Office. This allows for easy addition of new services. However, if a competitor with a more innovative name emerges, a company may need to change its naming architecture to a house of brands, like Procter and Gamble, with distinct names for each product. Professional naming consulting firms can help create a naming architecture that makes sense for the company and provides flexibility. Other types of naming architectures include the endorser brand, where the brand name is placed after the product name, and decision trees can guide the naming process. It is important to avoid a mishmash of names and create a clear naming structure.

Mike Carr discusses the pitfalls of naming in business, citing examples like Chevrolet Nova and Coca-Cola's translation mishap in China. He highlights legal constraints on certain words and praises "Big Ass Fans" for cleverly navigating edginess without being offensive. Carr advises businesses to find a balance between humor and controversy, aiming for names that spark conversation without being vulgar.

In this transcript, Mike Carr discusses the single biggest problem with personal brand names. He emphasizes that personal brand names should be focused on the audience and the value they receive, rather than being solely about the individual. Carr gives examples of celebrities like Selena Gomez, KSI, Tony Robbins, and Richard Branson who prioritize delivering value to their followers and customers. He also mentions Elon Musk as an exception, as his success and innovation initially overshadowed any negative aspects of his personal brand. Carr advises individuals to consider what they are delivering to their audience and how to align their personal interests and passions with providing benefits to their followers and customers.

Mike Carr discusses the challenges of naming businesses in the digital age, emphasizing the importance of creating memorable names over generic, forgettable ones. He illustrates this with examples like Google and Amazon, contrasting them with less engaging names like Infoseek and Book Stop. Carr also highlights the significance of trust in naming, citing examples of successful strategies from companies such as Desert Glory and the Vitamin Shop, concluding that unique and memorable names are essential for success in today's noisy digital landscape.

Mike Carr discusses how AI, exemplified by ChatGPT and others, has surpassed human naming consultants in generating names by understanding nuances and storytelling templates. He introduces Rag (Retrieval Augmented Generation), an AI technology that scrapes the internet for current data to inform naming processes, ensuring modern and relevant outcomes. While acknowledging AI's potential to replace human jobs, particularly in customer service and radiology, Carr emphasizes the importance of human expertise in guiding AI processes. He sees AI as an opportunity for professionals to enhance their skills and provide better solutions to clients by combining domain expertise with AI capabilities. Carr concludes by stressing that AI amplifies skills but doesn't democratize them, underlining the continued need for human connection and expertise in leveraging AI effectively.

At the South by Southwest event, AI was a prominent topic of discussion. The question of whether AI is more like oxygen or fire was raised. Some believe that AI is like oxygen, a natural life-giving force that powers everything. Others compare it to fire, a destructive force but also a source of energy. It was noted that AI is not coming for jobs, but those who use AI will be the ones to impact job roles. The value of data was emphasized, with the analogy that data is the new gold and its purity determines its value. Samsung aims to make the user experience seamless with AI working behind the scenes. When it comes to seeking a job, it was suggested to use AI for research on the company and to actively learn and experiment with AI in one's current job. Collaborative advantage was highlighted as the way forward, as AI brings new possibilities and no one has all the answers. Overall, AI is seen as a constant presence that can fuel creativity and efficiency when used properly.

In this transcript, Mike Carr discusses the importance of protecting your name from being stolen. He identifies five types of names and how they often evolve: creator names, influencer names, brand names, trade names, and trademarks. He explains that while registering a trade name (DBA) with the county or state can provide some protection, the best way to protect your name is by filing it as a trademark with the US Patent and Trademark Office. He advises not to wait until you are a certain size to file for a trademark, as someone may try to steal your name and take advantage of the value you have created.

Mike Carr addresses the contemporary significance of personal brand names and styles, advocating for a purposeful and authentic approach. Emphasizing the impact of personal branding on diverse situations, Carr introduces five brand personalities—sincerity, excitement, competence, sophistication, and ruggedness. He stresses the importance of aligning with a primary brand personality while suggesting the use of different names or brands in specific scenarios to prevent dilution, exemplified by Jessica Alba's "Honest" brand. Overall, Carr encourages individuals to choose a resonant brand personality and remain open to adapting when exploring new areas to maintain authenticity and integrity.

In discussing effective naming strategies, Mike Carr underscores the need for external validation with the target audience to avoid subjectivity. He advocates for testing names in real-world contexts and favors quantitative research for objectivity. Carr highlights the importance of capturing swift, subconscious reactions, using the example of "Smart Mouth" to illustrate the potency of edgy names in grabbing attention. Ultimately, he encourages a strategic and objective approach to select names that resonate and swiftly capture attention in practical settings.

In the episode, Mike Carr underscores the importance of a single word in creating impactful names. While attention-grabbing names like "Big Ass Fans" and "X" are effective, Carr contends that controversy alone isn't sufficient. He highlights successful 2024 brands, "Feastables" and "Native," citing their emotional resonance. Carr emphasizes that "trust" is the pivotal word in naming, crucial for authenticity and credibility. He cautions against legal issues and concludes by expressing confidence built over his company's 40 years of experience, extending best wishes for successful naming endeavors.

Mike Carr discusses the enduring importance of names in the digital age, challenging the notion that they are diminishing in significance. He emphasizes the critical role names play in shaping lasting impressions and brand identity, citing examples like Taylor Swift and Apple Computer. Carr advocates for unique and memorable names, recommending the expertise of naming consultants such as Name Stormers, to ensure a fitting and legally sound choice.

In this podcast episode, NameStormers CEO and cofounder discusses the importance of conducting thorough research and seeking legal advice before using a name for a brand or business. He emphasizes the need to go beyond just checking the US Patent and Trademark Office website and to also search the web for similar names. Mike shares examples of companies that had to change their names due to trademark infringement issues and how they turned it into an opportunity to reposition their brand and create buzz. He also addresses concerns about existing customers and provide examples of successful name changes that better resonated with their target audience. Mike advises against getting into a legal battle and instead suggests using a name change as an opportunity to pivot and create excitement.

Mike Carr discusses the evolution of name generators since his involvement in co-developing Namer in 1986. While noting current AI Name Generators’ proficiency in producing fitting names, Carr highlights concerns about the abundance of good but not distinctive names, creating a "sea of sameness." He emphasizes the crucial need for strategic alignment, warns against legal risks stemming from algorithm-generated similarities, and advocates for understanding target audience resonance. Stressing a long-term perspective, Carr advises thorough linguistic, cultural, and legal checks, along with audience testing, for a successful naming strategy, cautioning against relying solely on quick AI-generated solutions.

This episode focuses on the successful rebranding of Stanley, traditionally known for outdoor products for men. Faced with a sales decline in 2019, Stanley strategically shifted its target to young women, embracing influencer marketing and limited-edition products with names like "Quencher." We highlight the brand's adaptation to suit the preferences of the new demographic, emphasizing the appeal of scarcity through limited editions. The episode acknowledges the complexities businesses face in rebranding decisions, ultimately celebrating Stanley's success in blending strategic marketing and product adaptation.

In this episode of "Naming in an AI Age," Megan, Ashley, and Mike discuss different name styles for brands and companies. They cover four types of name styles: acronyms, made-up or coined names, descriptive names, and evocative names. They discuss the pros and cons of each style and provide examples. They emphasize the importance of choosing a memorable name that resonates with customers and fits the brand's story and image. They also mention the challenges of trademark clearance and the need for a strong marketing budget for certain name styles.

In this podcast conversation, the focus zeroes in on trademark screening's crucial role in the naming process. They agree on the need to brainstorm and shortlist names before diving into the screening process to avoid discouragement. The discussion delves into the complexities of trademark searches, emphasizing the limitations of relying solely on the USPTO database and highlighting challenges in industries like fashion and cosmetics due to high competition. They note the difficulties in trademarking short, common English words and recommend coined, unique names for legal safety, albeit requiring more branding effort. Balancing legal compliance and marketability is highlighted, stressing the need for early trademark screening to avoid costly issues.

In this week's podcast episode, cofounder of NameStormers Mike Carr leads a conversation with team members Megan and Ashley on the intricate world of personal branding in the digital age. Delving into the relevance and risks of using one's name as a brand, the trio examines insights on building a personal brand amid the influencer surge. Through anecdotes and reflections, they navigate the benefits of a human connection offered by personal branding while spotlighting potential pitfalls, including liability concerns and trademark complexities.

In this festive podcast episode, Mike Carr and Ashley Elliott from our NameStormers team play a game called "What's That Name? Holiday Edition." Megan Dzialo gives them the names of holiday-themed products or companies like the modular "Easy Treesy" and beard ornaments from "Beardaments" and they have to guess what the product or company is about based on the name. They spotlighted "Black Paper Party," championing diversity in holiday items, and "Tipsy Elves," known for wild holiday wear. Other unique finds included scented ornaments called “Scentsicles” and holiday-themed alternatives like "Mensch on a Bench."