Test before you invest
Brand name testing or Brand evaluation is similar to a global trademark search but focused only on the meaning, creative merits and cultural associations of a name. The list of product names below will show clearly the reason why the brand marketing department should request a brand name testing prior to launching a product in a foreign market.
In the image below, the marketer of this Georgian coffee /espresso decided to call it: ‘Deeppresso’. ‘Deep’ implies ‘strong’, which is probably why the intent is explainable and makes perfect sense, except that it doesn’t. In fact, it misses the point completely and goes awry. Any English speaker reading that name will be confused about the product: ‘wait, is this coffee or is this a depressant?’
Here is a collection of products with names that could be the reason why you should consider name testing. Would you buy tea named Urinal? or Pee Cola to quench your thirst? How about cookies and snacks named after body organs, genitals, body excretion?
This wine brand from California would look funny in Spain or Latin America because the name phonetically in Spanish means ‘they crap’.
Most of us would find it entertaining to spot product names like this in the market. Not so much if you represent the product or brand that has an inappropriate name like those above. Unless you aim to be the brand with a hilarious product name in a new, foreign market, doing a brand name testing prior to launching would be strongly recommended. Contact Branded Translations for details on what the process of brand name testing entails.
