It is often stated that all PR is good PR. However, it is doubtful whether the chocolate maker Isis or the renowned fashion house Lacoste – Anders Behring Breivik’s favorite brand – reasoned this way. All companies dread the “kidnapping” of their brand, since sudden associations with – for example – mass murderers aren’t exactly good for business. Usually it is just an unfortunate accident, but that hardly makes things less inconvenient for those affected. The latest example is the beer giant Corona, who had to state in public that they have absolutely nothing to do with a certain nasty virus. “We believe that consumers understand there’s no linkage between the virus and our business,” company owner Constellation Brands recently told Business Insider. However, studies show the opposite. Since the virus erupted globally at the beginning of the year, the search phrase “beer coronavirus” has increased by 3 200 % on Google.
Obviously, the wrong name can leave quite a bitter aftertaste. How unique and waterproof are your brand names today?