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A Brand New "War of the Words" Has Just Started...

As the war swings the nationalistic pendulum, it will force the revival of the nationalistic brands all over.

Remember that old familiar French bistro with those cozy tables?
There, "Isabelle" twisted her slender body into the chair across my table, which was graced with a plate of succulent filet mignon, crispy French fries and a glass of Bordeaux filled to the brim. That's when my alarm sounded. I suddenly screamed for Freedom Fries and before my dream girl uttered a single word, I was craving a Freedom kiss.

That bell rang again. Indeed, it was my alarm clock. Time to wake up and smell the coffee.

The war of words between oversize American cuisine and fatty French gourmet food is just a big joke, oui monsieur? Suddenly, French wines are being poured out on the sidewalks.
No one dares to order French fries in a restaurant, and all this because of France's outspoken criticism of the US-led war on Iraq in the Security Council.

The war of words and name calling - via corporate and product names and nationalistic posturing - is an ongoing issue, although recently it has intensified between countries such China vs.Taiwan, Indo-Pak battles, EU vs. U.S. and even Canada vs. U.S. A kind of 'us vs. them' mentality is moving in fast from all directions.

Globalization of brands is moving much slower than the nationalization of names and symbologies. Cultures of ideologies are attempting to govern buying habits and forming a new Cold War of Words with cultural posturing. American-owned Coca-Cola Co. is getting high-profile boycotts and competition from Mecca Cola, Qibla Cola, Zum Zum. The use of such religious iconic symbols as branding will not bring Islamic consumers to their knees to pray, but rather incite the issue of anti-Americanism and quench the media. Imagine an airline called HolyJet or a football team called The Vaticans.

Parisians rallied hard against Mickey Mouse and the whole Disney movement - now a cheesy darling. These fights are short lived and they will come and go with the tide.  However, the real challenge is in the corporate image area, where a new threshold is emerging and companies are facing new challenges to their existing corporate personas.

Some of the personas that are poised to be challenged in the coming months include:

Territorial persona - when a company wants to project local domination and blend into the local cultural personality. Names and images for these types of companies convey the geographical reach of the company, and brands are promoted to meet local customization of culture. This oldest model of commerce, based on close contact with the local customer, is the prime foundation of corporate image.
This tried-and-true, old-fashioned corporate image ideal was thrown a curveball when the internet came onto the scene and companies started naming themselves after ideas and concepts rather than geography.

The generic, geographically based names like Eastern Products, Western Products, Blue Ocean or Star Brands and more, simply fell out of favor.
These images were changed into strange, odd combinations to fit domains and new URLs.

Nationalistic persona - when companies attempt to evoke a nationalistic feeling through a patriotic name or concept. These names are either based on the country's name or distinctive national icons. Images are promoted to show superiority in global export markets. Every country is blessed with unique, one-of-a-kind products and services providing the opportunity to capture national symbologies. Think Cuban cigars, French wines, Egyptian cotton, Hollywood movies, Disney characters, Swiss banks, Chinese silk, and American chips (not the freedom type, the silicon type).

Recently, the tech evolution has equalized the national powers, and wine and fashion are no longer exclusive to France and neither is Hollywood as it faces competition from entertainment centers like Bollywood.

Today, China makes better products for consumers, and India has a sharper edge over the US in software development. Great national iconic brands are being tossed around in international tradeshows. This group has been under serious pressure and nationalistic symbology may increasingly become a liability.

Now, as the war swings the nationalistic pendulum, it will force the revival of the nationalistic brands all over.

Universal persona - when companies embrace global customers while still understanding specific local needs. These powerful brands have cemented global images and global transparencies that are here, there and everywhere. These companies have user-friendly names and their brands have mixed in the local lingo and culture of most of the consuming world. Think Nike, Sony, Disney, etc. Today, less than 1% of global marketers use this strategy, as it requires a major commitment. This war will challenge the universal persona and force global consumers to divide and take an ideological position on brand loyalties and buying patterns. This will make the evolution of brands into the universal arena sluggish and will reinvent the naming and positioning of products and services on ideological grounds.

With or without an actual war, the war of words has started, and there is going to be a major shift in corporate images as companies re-assess their ideological persona to fit the market while the e-commerce revolution changes the scene and turns the globe into one simple flat earth.

Freedom Fries and Freedom Toast are just the start of the free debate of free societies. Furthermore, the French did not even invent the French kiss - they only liberated the tongues. 

Summary:

At this moment, there is a much bigger war of branding image going on out there. Corporations are fighting for global positioning while shareholders are frightened by the fake hoopla. For those genuine, honest and progressive corporations of the real economy armed with realistic goals; there are still a lot of opportunities to stay clear of these corrupt, polluted and damaged name identities. Go seek out professional naming solutions to your marketing needs making sure that your names are on solid ground and can pass the Acid Test of True Personality & Trustworthiness.

Sidebar

How Associations Can Improve Corporate Images & Name Identities

In the old strategy the key for success was in the total image, including the logo design and color. The name of a corporation was not the key issue, but rather a part of a jigsaw puzzle. The emphasis was placed on the logo, specific colors and graphic designs, tag lines and other paraphernalia, to create a total visual-identity experience. The rule of cyber domination is very simple: It all boils down to a powerful name, which equals to a powerful domain name (or URL,) which is then used as a key to find and unlock the Web site in a complex global maze. It is all based on how well you can remember the name, how easily you can type in, how to find the corporation right upfront on a search engine and how to get instant accessibility.  

This is a very big change and has created a noticeable shift in how companies built global corporate images in cyber space. This shift also explains the rush of advertising agencies, as well as advertisers’ confusion regarding cyber marketing. In today’s corporate world, the key to success, or the “magic”, clearly lies in the name -- a URL to set the company apart in the global e-commerce arena. Let’s face it, when a name cannot be found easily on the net, the corporation is no longer in cyber domination – rather, it is in cyber oblivion. Any lessons? Forget the total corporate identity and image experience. Follow the new rules and audit your Association's names and brands.

Change now or change later. Here are seven key reasons:

One: Name is lost in the crowd for being similar or identical to thousands of others. If a name is borrowed from a dictionary, making it part of an everyday lingo, it never achieves distinction and despite extraordinary expenses in promotion, it will simply      die out of exhaustion.

Two: Name is too old fashioned to convey today’s dynamics.

Three: When the spelling of a name requires a higher IQ. Weird spellings are used to avoid trademark problems or to fit the creativity of a spinning logo. The twisted spelling only ensures obscurity. If a name can be spelled four different ways, then it will only bring 25% of the hits and profits.

Four: More money is spent in explaining the origin of the name. If a name requires constant explanation of its obscure, yet cute, origin and how it all relates to the business, then it becomes a daily routine for advertising to educate the universe of this dysfunctionality. The end-users do not really care what the name means to a corporation, rather simply, what it means to them. Ad agencies get awards for their creative efforts, while the consumer simply shuts off.

Five: Corporation does not own a trademark or an identical domain name. Why bother, what’s the point of the exercise, if you do not own a trademark with an identical dot.com name?

Six: Name is embarrassing in certain countries. Globalization is a fact of life; a name must work like a marketing weapon, not only in its own country but also around the globe.

Seven: Name is too long, too difficult, too confusing, too complicated or simply, too boring. Long names get initialized, thus changing the meaning completely. Difficult names only confuse customers. Mergers & Acquisitions trail create multiple meanings in the market place. Weird terminologies, alphanumeric structures, use of upper or lower cases, dashes or slashes and other dingbat characters in a name, will only ensure its self-destruction.

Two options: O.K. so you already have a world class unique, powerful, globally trademarkable name which relates to your business and has an identical dot.com, then congratulations you can stop here, no need to go any further, because it is champagne time.

On the other hand, if not, then change it very fast, the sooner the better. Just remember no amount of money spent will be able to save the name in the long run.

How to select a new name identity successfully?. Eeeny, meeny, miny, mo, never, ever catch a name by the toe. Please don’t pick a name out of a hat, it’s a bad thing. If you simply pool a list with your staff and pick one out as a desperate attempt; or ask your agency, who in turn, will have their staff or external freelancers, pick          the name out of a hat; you are in serious trouble. If you are still holding that old magazine, the proof of embarrassing name announcements covers most centrefold ads.

So, are we are out of names? Definitely not. This is only a myth, successfully established by ad agencies and corporate identity logo shops; leaving the clients with the burden resulting in strange, weird and often silly names. Contrary to belief, there is no shortage of names. However, there is a serious shortage of successful, proven methodologies and of highly reputable professionals with successful track records. Ask your agency to produce a person in real life, otherwise remember they are only picking out names from a very large hat and most often, a day before your press conference. Naming is a serious black and white exercise and should not be confused with colour, design, logos, branding campaigns, because these components only become important after a name has been selected.

Naseem Javed is a syndicated columnist, the author of "Naming for Power" and founder of ABC Namebank www.abcnamebank.com, and a high profile speaker and corporate naming expert. Naseem can be contacted at nj@njabc.com. ©Naseem Javed 2003.

 

Association Xpertise Inc. (AXI) is a full-service company providing consulting and other services to associations and non-profits.    Details

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