Ayds Diet Candy was a hit product that was first introduced in 1941. It became well-known very fast as the best sweet of its day to control appetite. The product sold successfully for years, and the company made good money.
Clients loved it, and a number of Hollywood Avoiding a Cringey or Embarrassing Business celebrities called it the best figure-saver. Sadly, however, the 1980s saw the media begin to discuss a horrible illness known as acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, or AIDS.
The company suffered greatly as a result of Ayd’s AIDS-like symptoms, and within a few years, revenues had fallen by half.
Regretfully, just like Ayd’s diet candy, a great deal of entrepreneurs still use awkward company names. Similar to the situations involving Pee Cola, Analtech, and Qwikster on Netflix, as well as the Thai eatery Hitler’s Chicken.
Many businesses have succumbed to the ferocious jaws of failure due to their failure to recognize the impact of their brand name on their products.
Businesses with tacky brand names often find themselves in trouble because their names, which should have helped their firm grow, ended up being a source of embarrassment and regret.
If you’re looking for a name for your brand or visiting naming companies, stay out of Ayd’s shoes and steer clear of these naming mistakes.
1. A Brand Name Carrying a Negative Connotation
It’s ideal for a business owner to refrain from using a brand name that conveys any negative message, especially on contentious themes like politics, in today’s market when consumers actively prefer companies that share their views on issues like culture and politics.
Since not everyone has the same political viewpoints, it’s also critical to avoid aligning yourself with a certain political organization as this may always backfire and generate a big divide in your audience as well as several boycotts, as was the case with Gillette.
Therefore, while naming your company, stay away from terms that convey the incorrect meaning, such as Hitler’s Kitchen, Flavors of Negros, and K.K.K. However, it doesn’t stop there. Additionally, stay away from terms like Pu Pu Hot Pot since they give your clients a bad impression.
Acknowledge that consumers find it challenging to distinguish between an executive’s or founder’s actions and those of their business. That’s why it’s critical to avoid, or manage politically charged issues extremely carefully; otherwise, your company could end up like MyPillow, the company owned by Mike Lindell.
2. Protracted Avoiding a Cringey or Embarrassing Business Brand Names
When naming your company, it is preferable to stay away from utilizing terms that are technical, intricate, or advanced. Nobody wants to spend mental energy learning how to pronounce your brand’s name correctly, thus complex brand names are unattractive.
Consumers like simple, concise, and memorable brand names over long ones, such as “Andrew Jaeger’s House of Seafood & Jazz at The Condor Club,” such as “AJ’s Seafood.” Why? because names that are shorter are easier to say, remember, and search for online.
You run the danger of losing customers to rivals with shorter, more creative, and memorable brand names if your company name is too long. Thus, pick catchy, succinct sentences that are easy to say.
3. Names With Unfavorable Foreign Meanings
You shouldn’t think that your brand name will be limited to your local area given how quickly the world is becoming digital and more interconnected. People can easily access your brand through eCommerce, and if the name of your brand is offensive to them in their language, they won’t hesitate to switch to another product.
Sadly, a few companies have already committed this error and experienced a loss of brand identity due to translation. One excellent illustration is “La Puta,” a Mazda that translates to “The Whore” in Spanish. Additionally, Spanish consumers did not waste any time in ditching popular products like the Laputa from Mazda and the Lumia phone from Nokia, which was named after a Spanish slang term for prostitute.
Think about the reactions of Chinese consumers to Mercedes-Benz’s introduction on the Chinese market under the Bensi brand, which translates to “rush to death.” However, it doesn’t stop there because Fiat’s Uno was also abandoned by Finnish consumers. After example, the Italian word “Uno,” which means “One,” was also the Finnish word for “Fool.”
Due to client offense caused by their brand name, these companies suffered significant financial losses. Therefore, make sure your target market is not offending to customers from other countries by doing a thorough market study before deciding on a brand name.
When conducting research on your intended audience, pay particular attention to how your clients perceive the tone of your company name.
adults between the ages of 25 and 34 adore contemporary and intriguing brand names, whereas adults between the ages of 45 and 65 are drawn to traditional and classic brand names, according to a recent Squadhelp survey.
That’s why a brand name like Estee Lauder works because it targets an older audience, while a name like Urban Decay works because it targets young people.
Avoid Being Odd
Entrepreneurs that don’t pay attention to what Avoiding a Cringey or Embarrassing Business their brand, customers, and market want often end up with corny brand names.
They thus wind up with an odd brand name that misrepresents their business, annoys customers, and is out of step with the market. Thus, be sure to pick a unique brand name that consumers will be pleased to connect with. Grant Polachek oversees branding for Squadhelp.com, a disruptive naming agency and 3X Inc 5000 business. After reviewing over a million names, Squadhelp has put up a list of the greatest names currently available on the internet. In addition, we are the top crowdsourcing naming platform in the world, working with companies like Nestle, Dell, Nuskin, and AutoNation.