Rent-to-own News - Branding 101 for 2012

What can we expect to see in 2012?

Expect to see names get more abstract in 2012. There are more than one million names, taglines, and logos registered with the United States Patent and Trademark Office. Finding a name that is unique, memorable, and-very important-ownable has become increasingly challenging. Names that are coined, abstract, or arbitrary stand the greatest chance of clearing the multiple hurdles involved in the naming process, according to strategic brand consultant Landor.com.

Storytelling will increase in prominence. Coined names come with zero baggage. Unfortunately, they also come without a built-in meaning. Couple that with brands being increasingly accountable to a very vocal and socially networked public, and story becomes a crucial part of what a name needs to deliver.

Green nomenclature will decline. Green vocabulary is now so pervasive in product, service, and company naming that it has become all but meaningless. Being environmentally responsible isn't a "nice to have" any more-it's a cost of entry. Being green in 2012 is to naming what being "new and improved" was to packaging copy in the 1970s. It's simply another unquantifiable message that consumers are filtering out.

What are the implications of these trends for brands?

In a word: story. The advent of a consumer public wielding an always-connected, always-on Internet in their pocket has made most companies realize, if not act upon, the necessity for two-way communication with their audiences. It's no longer enough for a name to evoke feelings of "that's interesting." Naming today needs to get people to say, "I want to know more."

In order to succeed at selling the best names, naming professionals also need to create stories that can be tied to a brand promise in a genuine and engaging way. Without the immediate recognition that descriptive and suggestive names provide, however, the inherent value of an abstract or coined name can be difficult to socialize-even with the most intrepid of clients. Storytelling is a powerful tool for "selling in" these types of names, especially when a client's wishlist did not pass preliminary legal screens.

As for the demise of green names, it's very possible that "blue" could become the new green in 2012. Internationally, we're already seeing a shift away from green to blue, as Volkswagen prepares to release its electric vehicle, the Golf Blue-e-motion, and small firms and large B2Bs alike shy away from the perfunctory green tag when it comes to naming their ecofriendly offerings. Will the blue concept fly? The jury is still out. However, with corporate citizenship becoming increasingly important to consumers, it's also possible that the green nomenclature could shift away from chromatic references to ones that communicate social responsibility.

Which brands will stand out?

Clients that invest in the naming process and give it the time, budget, and research it requires will benefit from better and deeper naming explorations that truly speak to their brands rather than to product or offering attributes. Agency professionals who help companies maneuver the complexities of the trademark and legal screening process will benefit from client trust, which then allows them to push further creatively. And on both agency and client sides, partnering effectively to balance the creative and the tactical may lead to that most elusive of victories: a name that is memorable, distinctive, and over time, perhaps even synonymous with what a company does.

For Landor's full market trend forecast go here.