A naming brief ignored by the boss caused the whole presentation to fail.
1. The Marketing Book Podcast episode 495 centers on Rob Meyerson’s book Brand Naming and the process of choosing names for companies, products, and services.
2. Douglas Burdett interviews Rob Meyerson, who is a namer, brand consultant, and founder of Heirloom, and Meyerson’s background includes naming work at HP, Interbrand, and FutureBrand.
3. The episode asks what naming is actually for, and Meyerson answers with a process-focused case for getting a name right instead of just inventing clever words.
4. Meyerson says naming is not the most important thing “in the universe,” but it is a major piece of branding for startup founders and small-business owners.
5. He argues that language is powerful because novels and speeches move people, and a business name is one of the first ways to use that power.
6. He also says a name is a long-lasting investment because websites, logos, and campaigns change more often than the company name.
7. Meyerson warns that bad names can create embarrassment, product recalls, wasted money, and legal problems when ill-considered names reach the market.
8. He explains that his book is only the second naming book covered on the show, after Alexandra Watkins’ Hello, My Name Is Awesome.
9. The book’s endorsements include David Aaker, Martin Lindstrom, Philip Kotler, and a foreword by Alina Wheeler, who wrote that the book is “the most comprehensive naming book” she knows.
10. Meyerson describes two dimensions for naming: approach, which runs from abstract to descriptive, and construct, which runs from real words to coined words and compounds.
11. He uses Apple, The Container Store, Twitter, Swiffer, Kodak, Sony, Zipcar, and Grubhub to show how those dimensions work in practice.
12. One of his strongest points is that many great names do not check every box and many bad names still pass half the tests.
13. He therefore prefers a framework built around strategic, creative, and technical qualities rather than a rigid checklist.
14. Strategic qualities include meaning, stretch, and distinctiveness, while creative qualities include sound, look, and memorability.
15. Technical qualities include legal availability, linguistic viability, and the ability to avoid constant spelling questions.
16. Meyerson says the naming brief is the most important early document because it defines what is being named, what the name should convey, and who can veto it.
17. He says brainstorming without an agreed brief is “a recipe for disaster,” especially when multiple decision makers are involved.
18. He also says failure to share the brief with someone who has veto power is “the single biggest thing that goes wrong in the naming process.”
19. The episode is conversational and practical, with Burdett pushing for examples, jokes, and real-world stories like the failed entertainment-company naming presentation.
20. People working on startups, brand strategy, or naming projects will get the most out of it, while listeners wanting a casual marketing chat with no process detail may skip it.
