Do you know your brand history? (True or False series #6)

Do you really know your favourite brands’ history as well as you think you do? Test your knowledge thanks to the sixth part of the True or False series.   Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield met in their early teens when they both attended the same gym class in high school. After Jerry had failed to get into medical school and Ben had dropped out of college, they decided to partner together and open their own business. They both completed…

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Do you know your brand history ? (True or False series #5)

Do you really know your favourite brands’ history as well as you think you do ? Test your knowledge thanks to the fifth part of the True or False series. In 1911, car dealer George Whitaker meets car racing enthusiast Samuel Rootes through common friends. Rootes also happens to be the heir of the Bamford factories, a bicycle business located in suburban London. George and Samuel make fast friends and in 1913 they decide to produce their own vehicles by turning…

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4 Approaches to Mergers & Acquisitions Naming

The feeling towards the mergers and acquisitions market seems optimistic for 2014, with most investment banks reporting growing numbers of deals in the pipeline. These landmark events for firms aim to create synergies, and brand value is a crucial factor, however only around half of these attempts actually succeed. One of the most common reasons for failure is conflict between the two entities, and it’s no surprise this is linked to the biggest killer for brands – brand confusion. Clear,…

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The importance of brands and the protection of their rights to ensure quality products and safety for the consumers

Buying a product from a brand is like making a deal: the brand guarantees you that you are buying a quality product. For a firm, a brand is a precious tool to help ensure loyalty and development; it is putting its reputation on the line. Thus a firm must pay close attention to its brand and any fraudulent use that could be made of it. That is why the law, both national and international, enables firms to register a trademark….

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& Fashion

Gianluca Billo, Managing Director of Nomen Italy, tells us about the macro naming trends in fashion in his column “Naming Trends” in the Pubbico Today.   The fashion world has developed, over time, two major naming trends, identifiable with two well-defined types. The more traditional brand made ??of a name + surname (or surname only) is reminiscent of high fashion and has become a genre, a code: name and surname of the creator, designer, entrepreneur, reference to the house. Whereas…

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Is It Branding Or Is It Marketing?

Not that long ago we exhibited at the Great British Business Show / Business Startup Show in London(some of you might even have come to chat with us?). Well to be perfectly honest with you, this event made me realise that many people misunderstand what branding is; in fact, I would say that it is more of a confusion than a real misunderstanding. If you feel unsure about what branding is or if you would simply like a refresher course,…

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Do the best brands really leave their names behind?

I read an article about a month ago entitled ‘Why The Best Brands Eventually Leave Their Names Behind’[1]. Joe Duffy talks about how branding is so much more than a name, which is a statement that I cannot argue. However, I would like to answer his question: ‘How important is it that a name actually explains your product’s unique selling proposition, defines your company, or pegs you into a specific category?’ Very. He speaks about the struggle that comes with…

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How a certain style of name allows you to tell a story with your brand

A brand is like a book I like to compare brands with books (you can also compare brands with films if you want). You see, your brand name is just like the title of a book: it is important because it will often be the first contact customers will have with your brand. During this first contact phase it is important to get customers interested; and if you give them a title/brand name that is interesting enough they will be…

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Brand names that make you smile

Just like our emotions and thoughts can affect our behaviour (when we are sad we cry, and when we are happy we smile and laugh), our behaviour can affect our emotions and thoughts. I am sure that you have even experienced it before without necessarily being aware of it. Have you ever tried to act as a happy person and to make an effort to smile more at a time when you were feeling a bit down? If you have,…

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Controversial?

As consumers, it is not often we stop and think about the name of a product we are buying or the company we are buying from, especially in the case of familiar brands. On reflection, and particularly taking a name out of context, we might notice some strange choices. For example, have you noticed that Christian Dior’s perfume range called ‘Poison’ is not exactly an enticing name for a liquid product? And have you ever really thought about Richard Branson’s…

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