Beth Marcus December 2 nd 2009
BethMarcusDecember2nd2009
TypesofNames TypesofNames
Nonsensewords(Exxon,Ebay,Sombli) RealWords(WholeFoods,HotMail,Staples) Abbreviations(KPMG,A&WRootBeer,EXOS,Nabisco) Contractions(ToysRus,PetsMart,FedEx,Osram) Soundslikemeaning(Zeemote,Z8,Samsonite,Smrtguard)
Origins Derivedfromotherlanguages(Nintendo,Daewoo,Lycos) DerivedfromMythology(Nike.Lada) Namesofinventors(Bose,Adidas,McDonalds) Namesofanimals,vegetables,minerals,etc(Apple,Lotus)
NamingProcess Writeadescriptionoftheproduct,service,company Writeworksthatdescribetheemotionalfeelingyouwantpeopletohave
Writeattributesyouwantthenametocommunicate Listthelanguagesyouwanttomakesureitworksin Brainstorm Rankandcategorize Selectyourtop3‐5
Availability Checkonhttp://www.whois.com/toseeifchosennamesarefree
Graburlsofcandidatesandparkthem(~$10/year) SearchUSPTOhttp://tess2.uspto.gov/bin/gate.exe?f=searchss&state=4007:j251k5.1.1toseeiftherearecompaniesusingyournameorsimilarnames
Thinkaboutpossiblenameconfusions Pickaname
Trademark FileaTMapplicationearly GetaconsultwithaTMcounsel Doaprofessionalsearch~$600 Registeranyservicemarksyouuseaswell Costapproximately$325tofile Setasidelawyerfeestohelpingettingitissued
CaseStudy EXOS Shortforexoskeleton Shortandmemorable Nearfrontofalphabetforlistsortradeshows Inbeginningofcompanytoldpeoplewhatwemade Hadlessrelevancelater UnfortunatelyXOSpronouncedXsosmeansshitinJapanese
CaseStudy Playsmrt Lookingforanamethatconveyedproductattributes MostnamesweretakenasurlsandTM—thisonewasavailable
PlaysmartisownedbyIDGandtrademarkedforareport
Trademarkwillprobablystand Moreresearchneedstobedonebeforeproductlaunches
Productnameshouldprobablybedifferent
Zeemote OriginalnameZietooaftermydaughterSuzie Initialinvestorscouldn’tpronounceit ChangednametoZeetoo—got.nturland.comseemedtobeabletobebought
Many$1000’slaterMalaysiancompanythatownedZeetoo.comrefusedtosellafterinitiallyofferingus$750KtobuyournameandTMandacceptinganofferof$10Kforustobuytheirs
ProtractednamingexerciseledtoadoptionofZeemote(productnameforcompany).
Moralofstory Doyourhomeworkupfront Don’tgetstuckonanameyoulikeifit’snotreallyavailable
Useabitof$’stoacquireurlnamesyoumightlike Mistakesinnamingcancostbigbuckslater