Choosing a Catchy Business or Brand Name:
Make it a brand name that has longevity
Though it's always good to think that the business or brand that you create today will still be profitable, popular and a thoroughbred for the long haul, in today's economic world, it's best to realize that what products/services are profitable today, may not be in 10-20 years.
Picking a business name that has longevity, and one that can change with the times, or products and services, is an important factor in creating the right business name or brand.
One business that comes to mind, when thinking of business name selection, change and longevity, is the General Mills Company, and their biggest cheerleader, Betty Crocker.
The Washburn Crosby Co. was part of an extended group of five milling companies, which soon became the very successful General Mills Corporation. The new name, General Mills, says it all about the merger, and since its inception in 1921, it's continued to represent certain things to the public.
Most recognizable are their lines of baking products and breakfast cereals, and one of their earliest products-still around today-was Gold Medal flour. After a promotion for the flour in 1921, the company was inundated with letters with questions about baking.
In another example of finding the best business or brand name possible, "Betty Crocker"-a fictitious kitchen expert-was created to answer the baking questions. The name was culled from deciding on the 'nice' name of Betty, and Crocker came from a former company executive, William Crocker.
Since 1921, Betty Crocker has evolved and changed the products under its namesake, from flour, to pizza, salads, and baking goods, to a line of cooking utensils, cookware, and a Betty Crocker online store, the name Betty Crocker has endured.
General Mills and Betty Crocker have continued to evolve and change since the company's inception, and they are good brand names that illicit a certain perception in their core audience, even if the products under each line change.
Longevity is an imperative concept, when choosing a business name.
