We named a billion dollar “startup” with the guy that named Blac…
About This Episode
David Placek, founder of Lexicon Branding, explains the strategic importance of choosing the right name for a company, citing his work on icons like BlackBerry and Swiffer. He details how linguistic science and 'processing fluency' create asymmetric business advantages by capturing attention through surprising familiarity. The conversation provides a framework for managing creative teams and avoiding the 'comfort trap' during the branding process.
Episode Description
Show Notes
- 0:00Nothing will be used more than your name
- 2:01Windsurf
- 3:50Swiffer
- 10:06Naming game: Fiber startup
- 17:14quantity leads to quality
- 29:46Problem solving propositions
- 32:40Power letters
- 35:04How Sam names a company
- 40:48Rate this brand (1-10)
- 47:50Blackberry
- 48:24When to change a name
- 50:47Presidential slogans
- 51:43Recommended reading
- 53:39How David thinks about AI
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Key Takeaways
Aim for 'surprisingly familiar' names: A successful name should be easy for the brain to process (fluency) while containing an unexpected element that breaks through the sea of sameness.
Separate generation from evaluation: To foster original thinking, encourage 'approximate thinking' and bizarre ideas in the early stages, delaying judgment until multiple creative cycles are complete.
Utilize sound symbolism: Leverage 'plosive' consonants like P, K, and B to subconsciously communicate speed and reliability, as these sounds are processed faster by the human brain.