March 17, 2010
Canon Changes the Face of Domain Naming and Branding with .Canon
This is interesting news in naming and branding.
Canon has applied for the .Canon generic Top Level Domain (gTLD), which Antony Van Couvering of Circle ID says breaks the "thin brand line" of near universal opposition to the practice of companies buying these domain names.
The fact is, it's the "worst kept secret in the industry" that top brands are quietly acquiring their own domains from ICANN to smoke out cybersquatters, throwing costs to the wind.
This makes Canon one of the world's first companies, and certainly the biggest brand, to say "uncle" and buy its own domain name, making the future Canon home page Canon.Canon.
Many bloggers question the wisdom of this move, saying that the intuitive domain name still ends with ".com" But this may change over time, and Canon is not taking chances.
According to DomainNews.com, "The new gTLD system is expected to allow a company name, brand name, geographic region, or service type to be used as a gTLD within website and e-mail addresses."
The installation of the system is set to begin by the end of 2011.
It just seems logical that a large company with a lot of brand equity would want it's own domain, and not have it bought by some kid in a basement or a shrewd competitor.
Technorati Tags: Canon, Domain Names, Branding, Naming, Photograph, ICANN
Posted by William Lozito at 12:46 PM| Comments (0)
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March 15, 2010
Is the Maalox Naming and Branding Debacle FDA's Fault?
The FDA is getting serious about misleading labels, branding and naming.
They are looking at claims like "low fat," "high fiber," and "cholesterol-free" and responding to customer requests for actual warnings on packaging if a food is "high calorie" or "low in nutrients". This came to a head last year when the FDA found that the voluntary "Smart Choices" program was seeing boxes of Froot Loops getting labeled as a healthy option.
This is already having an effect on drug safety where dozens of medications are getting zapped with labeling changes or changes to information about their their boxed warnings, contraindications, precautions and adverse reactions.
This is all pretty routine news until you consider that last month Maalox was hit by news of "serious" adverse reactions from consumers thanks to poor naming and branding of one of their products.
Their "Total Relief" product looks just like their "Advanced" antacid, but it is in fact much different and the danger to consumers has attracted the notice of lawyers. Notably, "Total Relief" contains aspirin-like ingredient called bismuth subsalicylate, which normal Maalox does not.
People associate Maalox with aspirin-free antacid, and Maalox is benefiting from this to sell this fairly different line extension. This so-called "brand name creep" into a new medicine territory offers real danger to consumers.
It is proof of labeling's impact. Now, Novartis, which owns Maalox, has to remove the Maalox name from the product. They also have to "change the product label design, conduct an educational campaign, and actively monitor and report adverse events associated with the use of Maalox-brand products." The new product, with the new name, will come out in September.
Ouch.
Bnet says Novartis is not exactly at fault here. According to blogger Jim Edwards, "The government agency has a longstanding - and completely insane - policy of allowing two different drugs to be given the same brand name, or two identical drugs to be given different brand names." Hmmm.
Technorati Tags: Maalox, FDA, Total Relief, Maalox Advanced, Novartis
Posted by William Lozito at 8:40 AM| Comments (0)
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March 12, 2010
Punch Ya Daddy Naming Continues to Live On
I'm not sure if this is good news or bad news, so I'll just put it out there: "Punch Ya Daddy" seasoning can keep its (ridiculous) name.
I wrote about the seasoning war simmering between "Slap Ya Mama" and "Punch Ya Daddy" last year. The makers of "Slap Ya Mama" Cajun seasoning, Walker & Sons, slapped "Punch Ya Daddy" with a trademark infringement lawsuit last year.
Now, a federal judge has ordered "Punch Ya Daddy" to change its logo and packaging, which is very similar to that of "Slap Ya Mama" and "damaging the plaintiff's business".
The judge ruled that "Slap Ya Momma" is a term that is "quite common" whereas "Punch Ya Daddy" is not, so as far as the naming goes, there is little likelihood of confusion.
The term "Punch Ya Daddy" came from when the toddler son of the maker of the stuff, Kirby Falcon, said "I'm going to punch ya, Daddy".
"Slap Ya Mama, on the other hand, is a term down in the Bayou that means you like something so much you want to "Slap Ya Mama With joy"
As for me? I'm slapping my forehead at the idiocy of it all.
Technorati Tags: Punch Ya Daddy, Slap Ya Mama, Naming Dispute, Bayou, Cajun
Posted by William Lozito at 8:46 AM| Comments (0)
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March 11, 2010
A New Look for Can Do Canines™ to March into the Future
For the past few months, we at Strategic Name Development have been partnering with Hearing and Service Dogs of Minnesota (HSDM) to create a new, more all-encompassing name and logo for their steps into the future.
HSDM is a non-profit organization located in New Hope, Minnesota, and for over 20 years, Hearing and Service Dogs of Minnesota has been enhancing the quality of life for people with disabilities by partnering them with specially trained dogs. Since the company's inception, they have placed over 300 service dogs to people with disabilities. All at no cost to those in need.
However, the organization was growing far beyond its original scope. They were moving to a newer, much larger facility where they can train three times as many dogs as before. Now, HSDM is placing dogs with people in need across the Midwest, not just in Minnesota.
And the dogs' skills are growing as well. They are being trained to do much more than just help those that are deaf or profoundly hard of hearing. Now the dogs can assist people with mobility challenges, diabetes complicated by hypoglycemia unawareness, seizure disorders, and autism. Most recently they have recommitted to serving the needs of disabled returning veterans.
Clearly, the organization needed a new name, and the 'can-do' attitude of the volunteers, the employees, the sponsors, and of course, the canines was perfect inspiration for just that.
As a result, Can Do Canines™, was born.
Al Peters, the organization's executive director said,
I am confident that the new name, Can Do Canines™, reflects much better the people we serve, our volunteers and entire team that makes these special partnerships possible. Each person has to say, 'I can do it' in order for them to be successful."
We at Strategic Name Development were very happy to provide pro bono services for the project; the partnership could not have been any smoother. We are confident Can Do Canines will enjoy much continued success in the future.
Technorati Tags: Can Do Canines, Assistance Dogs, Hearing and Service Dogs, Company Renaming
Posted by William Lozito at 12:36 PM| Comments (0)
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February 15, 2010
Alexander McQueen's Naming and Branding to Follow Its Namesake?
The tragic death of fashion icon Alexander McQueen has meant almost certain doom to the burgeoning brand that bears his name.
Unlike the Chanel, and Louis Vuitton brands, which outlived their creators, this is a blow to the DNA of the McQueen brand itself. As The Sartorialist points out: "I mean, come on, who could possibly keep the spirit of McQueen alive? He was so unique that his replacement could never get out of that shadow."
Brand Matters suggests that "the McQueen brand had so much of its founder's personality in it, that finding a successor may not prove possible."
It is owned by luxury goods giant PPR who now are faced with a well known but unestablished brand name that needs a new designer. On Saturday all the McQueen samples were called back and Fashionologie quotes one source as saying:
I think PPR will use this as a pretext to walk away from the McQueen brand, which has never really made any money anyway. The label just hasn't been around for long enough to be able to survive in the long term now that he is no longer there. A brand needs to have a history to live on in these circumstances and Alexander McQueen's brand doesn't have enough of a history. It's comparatively recent and its roots are not deep enough.
Make Do Style suggests that McQueen was the drama behind the brand and that after a decent period of time the brand should be allowed to quietly follow its namesake into oblivion. While other bloggers feel that other designers might step in and save the name .
I doubt the McQueen label will be around much longer. It is too cutting edge, and too new, and McQueen's suicide has tainted the brand.
Perhaps The Bespoken puts it best: "Regrettably fashion is the cruelest sport; it recognizes only those that make it to the finish line."
Technorati Tags: Alexander McQueen, Death, Fashion, Bow, CEO
Posted by William Lozito at 8:40 AM| Comments (0)
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February 11, 2010
Google Buzz Naming Puts Bee in Yahoo's Bonnet
So the launch of Google Buzz, Google's social networking application, brings into question whether the word "Buzz" can really be Google's.
Leaving aside some of the snarky reviews, the announcement of Google Buzz made Yahoo! irritated enough to tweet its dissatisfaction with the name, saying, "Two years after #Yahoo! launched #Buzz, Google follows suit".
Then the Yahoo! PR machine went into motion, with Yahoo! reminding everyone they beat Google to the punch in the social media realm.
Microsoft also fired off an irritated message, pointing out that, "Busy people don't want another social network, what they want is the convenience of aggregation. We've done that. Hotmail customers have benefited from Microsoft working with Flickr, Facebook, Twitter and 75 other partners since 2008."
Google, so far at least, has ignored Yahoo's implication of trademark infringement, probably because the two applications do fairly different things.
However, this may spell trouble for the Google Buzz name.
Yahoo first used the Buzz name on May 12,2008, and filed for a trademark on June 9, 2008; although through today it has not been approved or disapproved by the US Trademark Office.
Moreover, we could find no record of Google filing for the Buzz trademark.
I wouldn't be surprised if Yahoo will prevail legally and tell Google to, "Buzz off."
Well, maybe not in so many words.
Technorati Tags: Google, Yahoo, Naming, Microsoft, soicial, trademark
Posted by William Lozito at 8:47 AM| Comments (1)
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January 28, 2010
It's Official: iPad Naming Makes Women Cringe
OK, I've already apologized for predicting Steve Jobs would name his new gadget the iSlate.
It is indeed the iPad, a name I would not have chosen for two reasons. First, as I wrote a week before the announcement, it looks like "iPod" and second, that word "iPad" already has been mocked on Mad TV as sounding too much like the Maxi Pad feminine hygiene product.
It seemed impossible that Apple would choose it, because they know full well how viral humor on the Internet can sway customer perception about a product.
I'm not alone in this, it seems.
This morning there is a backlash against the name that is pretty intense. CNET calls it "cringe-worthy", Gizmodo predicts a slew of Maxi-Pad jokes, and The New York Times says that it makes women "cringe" (there's that word again), reporting that the word "iTampon" is making the rounds across Twitter.
Fast Company is even more succinct: "Apple's iPad Name Not the First Choice for Women. Period." PC World is already counting the "sneers and jeers" on the Internet, wondering if this is a "Venus vs. Mars" issue.
Blogger Anne Althouse, wonders if Apple bothered to check with any women about this one.
Or men. Let's face it, what guy wants to buy a product that sounds like it's a Wi-Fi sanitary napkin?
It also seems that Apple doesn't have any iPad-related domain names yet, either.
As if that was not bad enough, the name also may lead to a big fight with
Since 2002, Fujitsu has been manufacturing a handheld computer called the iPad. Although Fujitsu lost its trademark rights last year, Masahiro Yamane, the PR head of Fujitsu, still believes they have the rights to the iPad name.
All in all, it is really hard to believe that Apple could not have seen this coming. I have rarely seen such quick, vitriolic backlash against a product name. I have never, ever seen such intense mockery aimed at Apple.
And while I am an Apple fan and we are a Mac shop, I might add that their past naming mistakes (cough, Lisa, ahem, Newton) perhaps not coincidentally were attached to doomed products.
Steve, what were you thinking?
Technorati Tags: iPad, Fujitsu, Maxi Pad, Naming dispute, Mac
Posted by William Lozito at 8:33 AM| Comments (0)
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