Calling all businesses and brands! What is your name?
Hold on! Before you tell me, I want you to think about a couple of things first.
1. How easy is it to pronounce?
You want your brand or business name to be easy to read and easy to pronounce. It should not require too much effort to say out loud. According to many different studies, brand names that are “short and easy to pronounce” will have an automatic advantage over names that are long and difficult. It may seem obvious to some, but it is a subtle aspect of your identity that will make a big difference in how your brand is perceived.
So just like the very first blog post, keep it short and simple.
2. How memorable is it?
Just like you want your name to be easy to pronounce, you want it to be easy to remember. This may go hand in hand with pronounceability, but make sure that your brand name will linger in people’s minds!
Of course, repeated exposure to your brand name will naturally increase the familiarity of it, but having a memorable name from the start will create a feeling of familiarity as well, making your brand or business appear more attractive to consumers right off the bat.
3. How does it feel?
Rather than focusing on what your name means, I suggest focusing on how your name feels. Think like a consumer, and try to envision yourself seeing or hearing your brand name for the first time. How does it feel?
The logo is not much different from the name. You want it to be simple and eye-catching.
Minimalism is a great way to go for logos, as our brains have a bias for minimalistic designs. Some examples of fluent logos include Target, Apple, and Nike - all very simple yet attractive logo designs. However, don’t let this stop you from incorporating a bit more detail into your design, as you still want your logo to be somewhat related to your brand identity.
The brain processes a logo in less than 400 milliseconds, and the first thing it sees is color. Next is shape and form. Finally, it’s the meaning behind the logo. Creating a logo is all about balance, for you don’t want it to be too predictable and generic, but also don’t want it to be too ambiguous and difficult to process.
When it comes to creating a new identity and logo design, familiarity is so important. Because you don’t have the repeated exposure that major brands already do (yet), there is no familiarity. However, one way you can start with a basic sense of familiarity is through colors and fonts. The use of vivid, contrasting colors will draw consumers in, and incorporating commonly-used fonts, such as Helvetica, will “boost processing fluency and familiarity,” making your brand more memorable.
Your brand identity, including your name and logo, is extremely important.
So, I’ll ask you again, after everything you've just read.
What is your name?
References:
Dooley, R. (2013, May 14). The Easy Path to Persuasion. Retrieved September 22, 2020, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/rogerdooley/2013/04/22/the-easy-path-to-persuasion/
Harnessing psychology principles to empower UX. (2020, July 07). Retrieved September 22, 2020, from https://madebypi.co.uk/blog/harnessing-psychology-principles-empower-ux/
Hu, S., & Borji, A. (n.d.). Understanding Perceptual and Conceptual Fluency at a Large Scale. Retrieved from https://openaccess.thecvf.com/content_ECCV_2018/papers/Meredith_Hu_Understanding_Perceptual_and_ECCV_2018_paper.pdf
Sciocchetti, A. (n.d.). Cognitive Fluency: The Psychology Secret to Higher Conversions. Retrieved September 22, 2020, from https://www.directivegroup.com/ideas/tools/news/blog/cognitive-fluency-the-secret-to-higher-conversions/
Taylor, K. (2014, October 14). The Incredible Way Your Brain 'Sees' a Logo (Infographic). Retrieved September 22, 2020, from https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/238484
I love this post a lot! it’s very concise
Love this post—maybe my favorite one from all your blog entries! Very informative