JUST Branding S05.EP10 - Brand Naming: How to Create Great Brand Names with Alexandra Watkins
Jun 25, 2024
Alexandra Watkins, naming expert and author of Hello, My Name Is Awesome, shares her playbook for creating sticky, smile-inducing brand names. She walks through the SMILE traits and SCRATCH deal breakers. Topics include pronunciation, domain reality, using AI wisely, and strategies for naming systems and rebrands.
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How The Baconator Became A Cultural Hit
- Alexandra named Wendy's Baconator, which became culturally famous and even appeared in Jeopardy and the New York Times crossword.
- She used playful, conceptual naming from her copywriting background to create instantly shareable names that release dopamine when heard.
Smile First Then Sell
- The strongest effect a name can have is making someone smile because smiling releases positive neurotransmitters and creates an emotional advantage pre-trial.
- Examples include Church of Cupcakes and Dopamine (spelled like dough) which create love-at-first-sight and ongoing word-of-mouth.
Use The SMILE Checklist For Strong Names
- Use the SMILE framework: Suggestive, Memorable, Imagery, Legs, Emotional connection to evaluate names.
- Alexandra explains each: suggest names hint at experience, memorable ties to familiar concepts, imagery aids recall, legs enable theme extension, and emotion creates resonance.
