How to Create a Slogan and Name?

How to Create a Slogan and Name?

Creating a name and slogan that will distinguish products from competitor products and reflect their attention-grabbing features is as important as branding strategies. You can also check out our article on the differences between SEM and SEO on the Webcoder.az website.

WHAT IS A SLOGAN?

A slogan or motto is a phrase or a list of words that generally define the goals and means of a person, group, organization, or institution. Many countries, cities, universities, and other organizations have mottos. The word "motto" comes from the Italian language, and its origin is the Latin word "muttire," which means "to mutter, to say."

A company first stays in people's minds with its brand and then with its slogan. For example, when we hear the "Encyclopedia" slogan, we immediately think of the "Wikipedia" brand. Slogans are also very important in terms of brand recognition.

A slogan is not only important for companies but also for personal and public organizations, universities, hospitals, hotels, government agencies, non-governmental organizations, sports clubs, and political parties.

How is "slogan" understood in our dictionary? A slogan, which is a short and catchy promotional word, defines the purpose and image of the brand.

Slogan Characteristics:

It is a short, catchy word that easily expresses a thought and can be repeated;

It is a good characteristic that fundamentally defines the goals and means of a person, organization, and group.

What should the features of a slogan be?

A slogan should reflect the characteristics of the organization or product. Just as every person has a personality, organizations also have a personality. A slogan should reflect this. The brand should come to the person's mind immediately upon hearing the slogan. It should have distinguishing features from other slogans. If it uses an already recognized slogan, it can negatively affect the advertisement of the product.

The brand and the work done must be whole. The logo or emblem can be written directly below the slogan. It should not be too long and should not consist of just one word. It should be long enough and impactful. It should be easy to remember and should be recalled when we get the product.

A Slogan is very important for brand recall. At the same time, the slogan should be natural and impactful. Famous brands (this can sometimes also apply to individuals) have become prominent with high-quality slogans.

Correct Writing of a Slogan:

Naturalness: It should not be an ordinary sentence. For example, many markets use the slogan "the reliable address for shopping." This slogan is successful, but since it is used by everyone, it no longer carries meaning for the customer.

Continuity: Your slogan should be continuous. Therefore, you should find the sentence that best represents your brand and make sure it remains memorable.

Memorability: It should not consist of hard-to-pronounce sentences. A simple slogan that sticks in the mind after one visit ensures continuous recall.

Short: Slogans consisting of one to four words are the most effective. This is also important in terms of memorability.

Bold: It should be bold enough for sales. In a competitive market, a bold product can be the reason for preference. For example, Audi's slogan, "One step ahead with technology," is a bold and successful slogan.

Real: A slogan that makes impossible promises does not have a good result. Choosing a slogan that aligns with what the company has done and can do is an important factor in creating a successful slogan.

Creating a Company or Brand Name:

Creating a brand or company name is becoming increasingly difficult. In an era where competition and communication are increasing every day, creating a name, which is the most important element of differentiation, is like looking for a needle in a haystack. The rapid development of communication and marketing can be seen in the names of brands that have evolved over time. When we examine brands from the early years, we see that brands like Kiğılı, Ülker, Koçtaş, etc., benefited from the names or surnames of the brand creators. Even today, we see that the reliability of brands named after their founders is attributed to the founders.

A brand name is defined as an explanation that reflects the promises of the brand. Additionally, an effective brand name integrates the functional and symbolic components of the brand's promise, ensuring the customer's acquaintance with the brand identity and positioning strategy. In short, the most important differentiation that distinguishes a brand from others is the correct naming of the brand.

Before starting the brand naming process, the first step should be to decide what kind of name would suit the product or service. If decisions are made without these considerations, it will be like rowing in the ocean. Research has shown that a product with an ordinary name does not sell as well as a product with an interesting name. If a product with an ordinary name fails in the market, making improvements will be very difficult. Therefore, initial ideas for brand naming are often obtained by consulting advertising agencies or marketing research organizations. Companies conducting research in the brand name process use methods such as:

Challenge tests (What kind of image comes to mind?)

Learning tests (Can the name be easily pronounced?)

Recall tests (How well is the name remembered?)

Choice tests (Which names were selected?)

The name can be of many types:

Interesting names that sound good but have no meaning (Sony, Kodak)

Names unrelated to the product's functions (Panda, Omo)

Names that reflect the product's quality or function (Yünsa)

Names that indicate what the product does or is (Silen, Yumoş)

Words from other languages (Lux)

Names of company founders (Ford, Vakko, Gillette, Hilton, Honda, Dell, Ülkər)

Names of famous people (Lincoln, Napoleon)

Regional names (BMW, BP, Marlboro)

Names from nature (animals, plants) (Palmolive, Apple, Coca-Cola, Shell)

Initials of the company (IBM, BMW)

Three main functions of a brand name:

It describes a good or service that allows the consumer to decide whether to accept it.

It communicates a symbolic or functional message, or both, about the brand's features.

It has a legal defense function that protects the value of the company.

Criteria to consider when determining a brand name:

It should be easy to remember and pronounce. Long brand names can often endanger a potentially profitable market.

It should reflect the product's benefits and quality. Pay attention to selecting a brand name that matches the product's functions (Head & Shoulders).

It should be distinctive. It should not resemble competitors and should contain features that introduce and differentiate the product.

Attention should be paid to sound, letter, and grammatical features.

It should be adaptable. It should also be suitable for future products that will be added to the product line.

It should be internationally compatible. Avoid names that might create negative effects in international markets.

In short, creating a brand name that aligns with the brand strategy and promise will minimize marketing costs, help you remain memorable in consumers' minds, and differentiate you from your competitors.