If your name brand name translates into something funny or inappropriate in a different language, it doesn’t necessarily mean the end of your brand. People love to spot these things and few would see it as intentional. However, many studies show that unfortunate brand names do influence the sales, and some meanings and associations may just be a bit too much to overlook.
Rebranding your company, service or product can be very costly. According to branding experts, it can be anything from $50,000 to millions of dollars – and that is just the numbers. The process is not done overnight, and depending on the size of your business it can take anything between a few months to several years to establish your new brand.
It is safe to say that the wrong brand name can cause a lot of damage down the road. But why even risk bad publicity or revenue loss to begin with? To secure your brand name, always involve the two following elements in the naming process:
Linguistic proofing
Get a second opinion on your chosen name candidates from native-speaking linguistic experts on your key markets. They will analyze the names based on everything from local associations and cultural constructs to phonetics and pronunciation and have you look at your different contenders in a new light. Linguistic proofing makes the selection process so much easier.
Legal evaluations
Your new name may pass the linguistic filters, but if it is not legally proof, proceeding any further means asking for trouble. If you think rebranding seems expensive, just wait until a large company sues you for brand infringement. So, hire a good attorney before you start. Or an even better one later …
If you have no clue where to begin, Eqvarium is always here to help you out. Our professional naming process covers everything from initial workshops to name creation, trademark checks, linguistic proofing and legal evaluations. Our ambition is to leave you with a strong brand name that will work in the long haul.