catchword » company names

Brand Name as Turbocharger: Chrysler SRT Name Review

Beth Gerber — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 18:00:48 +0000

In general I’m not a fan of initialisms in product and company naming. Unless they form real words (acronyms), they usually convey nothing at first blush and they make the customer work too hard. Of course, if you’re a world-renowned brand like AT&T, IBM, or BMW, it doesn’t matter that no one remembers what your initials stand for (American Telephone & Telegraph Corporation, International Business Machines, and Bayerische Motoren Werke AG). Or that they were adopted as a convenience, after your original brand name was well-established. The initials become the brand. But if you’re a new brand struggling to emerge, hitching your star to a bunch of initials can be risky business.

Which brings me to the initialism that recently caught my eye. SRT is Chrysler‘s initialism for “Street and Racing Technology”, and it’s been around since 2003. It started as a high-performance badge Chrysler bestowed on certain models of its Dodge Viper roadster, RAM truck, Chrysler 300 and Dodge Charger sedans, and even some entry-level Neons.

Now Chrysler has shifted gears and elevated SRT from a model descriptor to an exclusive brand (drivesrt.com), in the tradition of BMW’s prestigious “M” brand (where M stands for Motorsport.) All of Chrysler’s SRT models will have V8 (or V10!) engines, performance brakes, and 900-watt Harman Kardon stereo systems (among other high-end components). The 2012 lineup consists of the Chrysler 300 SRT8, the Dodge Charger SRT8, Challenger SRT8 392, and Viper SRT10, and the Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8—and it has taken to the road for various car events.

So what kind of traction are those three little letters likely to get for the line (and Chrysler)?

On the plus side, the fact the name already has some va-va-vroom equity is a good thing. And the term “Street and Racing Technology” deftly spans a lineup ranging from sedans to racing cars. Also, as letters go, the sounds of these three convey appropriate associations for the brand (the long sibilant “S” evokes smooth, gliding motion; the “T,” precision.)

On the other hand, the name’s hardly memorable. The reference to “street and racing technology” will soon fade into oblivion. And when it does, the name will become just one more alphabet soup brand (like the Mercedes AMG line). Of course by then the brand may have acquired enough cachet that the name won’t matter, as with its prestigious German brethren.

In the meantime, the clunky model naming conventions for this brand could use a tune-up. Who wants to brag about owning a Dodge Challenger SRT8 392?

Overall Grade: B-

Speaking Engagement in Las Vegas

Laurel Sutton — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 09:00:33 +0000

Allow me to invite you to hear me speak live and in person! I’ll be in Las Vegas on Thursday and Friday of this week, at the Perfect Business Summit for entrepreneurs. What on earth could I be talking about? Why, the importance of naming, of course!

The conference is loaded with heavy hitters in the business world, like John Paul DeJoria (Paul Mitchell), Tony Hsieh (Zappos), Isaac Tigrett (House of Blues), and lots more. I’ll be attending most of the talks and will report back next week. In the meantime, if you run into me, I might just give you some Catchword-branded M&Ms!

B2B Name Brands: Guest Blog at Content Bureau

Laurel Sutton — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 18:39:53 +0000

Our good friends over at The Content Bureau asked me to write a guest blog, and they actually liked what I had to say! Go figure. Here’s a link to my post – but keep reading the rest of the blog, ’cause there’s some good stuff.

Thanks, Stacy!

Guessing Game: Dystopian Corporate Logos

Aaron Hall — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 16:00:08 +0000

Imagine a world after this recession/depression where the stimulus doesn’t work. In that world, democracy fails, big money prevails, and the world is ruled by evil corporations. If you can’t imagine that world, your work has been cut out for you. Several sci-fi movies and video games have already delved into that dark world.

In this dystopian world, what would the evil overlord corporations be named? And what would their logos look like? Here’s a little test of your sci-fi and gaming knowledge:

Can you name the dystopian corporate logs and what movies or video games they come from?

Answers after the jump…

1. Umbrella Corporation – Resident Evil
2. We didn’t know this one. Help us out and leave your guess in the comments below!!
3. Black Mesa – Half Life
4. TriOptimum – System Shock
5. Cyberdine – Terminator series
6. Omni Consumer Products – Robocop
7. Weyland-Yutani – Alien series
8. Tyrell – Blade Runner

Many thanks to our friend Ginger for the idea. And to the originals here and here