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CANADIAN INDUSTRY ONLINE - NOVEMBER 2015MARKETINGWHAT’S IN A PRODUCT NAME (AND HOW YOU GET THERE)By: Jeffrey Vanderby Product Manager, c/o CNW ProductsOne of the most important (and difficult) aspects of launching a new product is product naming. It often in- volves Product, Marketing, Product Marketing, senior management, sales leadership and (often) a liberal amount of hurt feelings and crushed dreams for those involved.But despite the never-ending back and forth, the earnest justifications, and the flat-out decision reversals, the prod- uct naming exercise is definitely time well spent. Stakeholder brainstorming sessions force product teams to think about the product in new ways andthrough many different sets of eyes.There are a number of best prac- tices to consider when beginning the naming process, however, there’s no definitive recipe or formula to devise the perfect name.Laura Luckman Kelber of Sand- storm Design says, “The best names are intuitive and convey what the business offers both tangibly and emotionally.”When “namestorming” here are three things to consider:1. What is your brand promise?Go beyond the functionality of your product or service and think about what your brand stands for. It’s the deeper emotional connection your brand has with its customers and how74| Canadian Industry Online | November, 2015