As more and more products flood the market, and domains are purchased or hoarded, it is difficult to find a good name. This is true in any industry but some are particularly crowded. Take the instance of craft breweries, an industry that didn’t even exist until a few years ago.

Over the 30 plus years I’ve been helping organizations with their branding issues, I’ve found that the first in-person meeting is crucial. There is no match for having a face-to-face whether in a room or via video to discover not only what the real opportunity is, but if in fact if you can partner with the client to make that a reality.

Naming is probably the most under-rated part of a brand process. While you can build a brand around a name no one likes (or understands), it’ll cost you much more in marketing to try and get it to stick. In his book, Positioning: The Battle For Your Mind, Al Ries states  “the name is the most important weapon in the battle for the mind.” 

Brands need to constantly evolve and change according to their environment, competitors, and their audience. Remaining static is not an option. Brands should be fluid to be able to flex with the times. Understanding how social media intersects and affects brand reputation keeps many CEOs awake at night. Embarking on wholesale change can be terrifying.

What happens when business growth and acquisition brings a new company, a new service, or a new product to an existing lineup? It can be good for stock price, but bad for brand equity if the acquisition is not addressed as part of the brand plan, the marketing plan, and most importantly, the business plan.

The brain's response to imagery is complex and instantaneous. Logos have never been more important with the amount of online information – not to mention external advertising - we wade through daily. Your twitter icon has to say a lot in a very small space. To put it into some perspective, the Coca Cola logo is recognized by 94% of the world's population.