Brand names that work hard - YouLookFab Forum

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Brand names that work hard

Rambling Ann

(website)

Veteran

We are elbow deep in work with a branding company to start a new business. We are going to be making hard cider in southern Utah. I just outted myself there, so this needs to stay deep in Off-Topic. Sadly, we didn't nab our preferred trademark and probably can't use the name we've been thinking of for years, so we are exploring a lot of options

One of the questions they asked was names of brands that I liked in noncompetitive industries. I'm no good at this, I don't look at tv so I don't see a lot of ads, and despite being on YLF I'm not not really a shopper. All I thought of was 19 Crimes (an Australian winer) and Rosie's Workwear. You can guess what they're selling and the products match the name. But I remembered I know a lot of good shoppers to ask. I don't need ideas so much for the cider works specifically, I'm paying them plenty for that. But I could use some help coming up with examples that are really good. What are some brand names that really work for you?

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18 replies

Latest reply was from MsMaven

Rambling Ann

(website)

Veteran

Wait, I thought of one I like, Zappos. I love how they get the idea of speed into the name, even if you know the origin. I guess UNIQLO could be the same idea.

cindysmith

Veteran

Madewell is a good example of an attempt at what you're talking about. I say attempt because if you dig into the history and read the think-piece by the descendant of the original founders of madewell, them we see where it didn't stay 100% true to the original concept. So it's an attempt IMO, and not a bad one, all things considered.

I also think Lodge is a good example. While it isn't as coveted as some of the really old (and discontinued brands) of cast iron, it's still considered a very solid value. And the name "lodge" invokes a simpler, more rustic time or lifestyle, which is what people who use cast iron a lot are living (to varying degrees)

Whole Foods and Cost Plus World Market do a good job of conveying the core value or ideal or whatever of their companies, or at least encompassing what one can expect to find inside.

Prevost bus frames/RVs are a good example, IMO. The word originates from terms relating to: "putting in charge", and prevost is considered a premium brand and an industry leader in luxury motorcoaches.

I'm sure I'll think of others, I'll comment again when I have another short list for you.

cindysmith

Veteran

YouTube. Obviously.

Pinterest. You pin interesting things to your virtual boards. Succinct.

Gorilla tape is a great brand name because that stuff is so strong a gorilla would have trouble ripping it off.

Super glue. Another obviously well chosen brand name.

Lesser known, but fascinating: Acme brick company. Acme is that generic name from the old roadrunner cartoons, so it's kind of genius IMO. It's also very close to the top of the yellow pages for brick/block/stone suppliers, beaten out only in markets with an ABC block company.

rachylou

Veteran

You know, I think about this from time to time. My mum toyed with opening a store way back when, books or toys, and kicked around some names. I've come to the conclusion I like people names best. Isn't that odd? Like I like Nordstrom and Chanel and the Schubert Bakery. Things that are more simply sounds than ideas. I don't generally like clever names like Haute Hippie, even if I love the idea (which I do). Occasionally yes, but rarely. I like Atomic Garden, the shop of a rock star's wife, but it may be Lilypup and I just really like the shop itself. Atomic Garden is actually very misleading... makes you think mid-century modern stuff, when it's really all Milkmaid. I think people names have more longevity built in and I like things made to last. But maybe I'll throw in Coca Cola, because they fiddled with a word to make it a name.

Gigi

Veteran

Duck Tape. I like it for the fun play on words.

The Joint (a chiropractic chain). Again, a fun play on words. (I guess I'm seeing a theme here...)

Perrier, Gerolsteiner, Essentia. I like foreign(-sounding) names. I think it makes the product seem exotic.

Anonymous

Amazon -- a river of goods, everything from A to Z. Plus, it kind of riffs off "amazing."

Elle

Veteran

You have had a lot of good suggestions where the brand name suggests an aspect of the product ( eg Nike- the Goddess of victory). Personally, I am drawn to simple descriptive names like Bi-Rite (gourmet grocery) and Neighbor Bakehouse OR family names like Levis (which suggests the individual touch)

Good luck with your business

Rambling Ann

(website)

Veteran

Thanks everyone. I've added quiet a few of these to the list for the branding company. I am hoping for something great out of them.

rabbit

Veteran

I love hard cider, hmm....

I think with microbrew names (as a consumer) for me it kind of depends a bit on the intended market and the culture of the company. I'm also very drawn to label art. So the name can be something that evokes kind of a millennial punk rock ethos (like it contains the name 'angry' or 'killer' or whatever) or some quirky animal or mascot, or alternately there are names that evoke a sort of stripped down artisanal purity. Or like Rachylou says, family names or historical names.

Some brand names I like in other industries: 'Golden' artist materials, Trader Joes, 'Southern Ice' (this is the name of a porcelain white clay from NZ), 'Coffee People' (late lamented Portland coffee brand).

I also see a risk when brand names are too similar. I used to always mix up the names of my city's organic grocery stores: Wild Oats/Whole Foods/New Seasons

Anonymous

Silly Putty - Who doesn't know what that is?

NYDJ - They capitalized on our aversion to Mom jeans and were able to successfully turn Not Your Daughter's Jeans into an acronym.

JAileen

Veteran

Here are two names from a local craft brewery. I love the names because they really pertain to the area: Ichthyosaur IPA, and Wild Horse Ale. Ichthyosaur is our state fossil. And we have wild horses all over the area. It doesn't hurt that the product is good, either.

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UmmLila (Lisa)

Veteran

Of course you say this and the first thing that comes into my mind is Woodchuck, the first hard cider I ever had and the one I still like best. I like how they tap into the New England village-y ethos. Around here, deer are bigger consumers of dropped apples than the chucks are. I'm fond of heritage sorts of names, but I think that the ones that have the ampersand in the middle are way over used these days and sound fake, e.g., Seed & Stem. If I were going to do something apple or orchard-based, I would think about how the trees and fruit look in crisp, fall weather and pull some ideas there. Or, you could license John Irving's novel title and call it Ciderhouse Rules. And how about the Atalanta Cider Company, from the myth about Atalanta and the golden apples.

Other brand names I like: I always like Amazon, for basically the same reasons as Xtabay does. I like Kayak, the travel site, because it implies setting off on your own. Ikea sounds like idea, but also pared back. When I lived in Egypt there was a department store, Omar Effendi; I liked the name as it sounded rather fin de siecle, but I always found its wares disappointing. Hatchards books in London because it's old and still hatching ideas. Wanamaker's the old department store in Philly and I don't know why I even liked it, but I did.

annagybe

(website)

Veteran

http://www.hipsterbusiness.name/

Joy

Veteran

You could incorporate a variety in the name, like Hot Gala's or Granny Smith's. Or Sutah Ciders ( play on South Utah).

UmmLila (Lisa)

Veteran

love that Hipster business name generator, Anna!

Rambling Ann

(website)

Veteran

Anna, that name generator is hilarious.

BC - I didn't know that about NYDJ, now I won't forget it.

Ummlila, let's here more about Egypt sometime! And Atalanta sounds cool.

We are definitely going toward something tied to place, because we grow our own apples in an area that has a lot of pioneer fruit growing history and where you don't expect alcohol. DH and I go in different directions - he likes the geological/dinosaur history, I like the outlaws and great age of motoring. Maybe the branding company will be more of a marriage counselor than anything else, LOL.

Here's a video of a brand story I really like, doubt we will luck into anything this cool (no financial interest, I just like it): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rkhiX9gmak8

RoseandJoan

Veteran

Dinosaurs, motor vehicles and outlaws, that could be the next series of Westworld.

I like the idea of a name that riffs off the past, words like temperance and bootleg spring to mind.

MsMaven

Veteran

Every year my parents (and sometime we kids) would drive to Payson to pick apples. Lots and lots of apples. Mom would bottle some or make bottled juice, and the rest would go into a special apple cold storage space my Dad built in our garage. All winter long we could go out any time and get a nice apple. I don't remember them making apple cider though, hard or soft.

They also would pick pine nuts--can't remember which county. And pick chokecherries in Logan Canyon. Dad was known to have made chokecherry wine--he gave me the recipe before he died. Mom bottled chokecherry juice to be used as a punch base.

Okay, thanks for sparking this lovely trip down memory lane. Right now I can't think of an idea for you, but maybe something will pop into my mind.