The Naming Brief is the first line of communication that you will have with the team of Creatives who will be working with you on your branding project. A well drafted brief is one of the four key ingredients for a successful contest!
Here are the four essential brief-writing tips that our consultants use again and again to kick off successful branding contests.
Tip 1: Explain the brand, not the business
If you write
We are opening a high-end seafood restaurant in Everett, Washington.
The creatives will hear
High-end = classic name
Everett = local restaurant and location themes
This may - but likely will not - fit your vision.
If you write
We are opening a unique, hip, seafood restaurant. The decor will be minimalistic. The food will be top-notch, but the ambiance will be more casual.
The creatives will hear
Unique, hip = fresh, unique, and modern name
Minimalist decor = straightforward name
The two short descriptions above could easily be about the same venture. However, the first focuses on business details, and the second explains a brand. The first can easily lead the process down the wrong path; the second will provide a great foundation for a successful contest.
When writing your brief
Explain the essence
Describe feelings
Include key differentiators and benefits
Share foundational words and ideas
Tip Two: Focus on psychographics and behavior
Introduce your Creative team to the needs, wants, desires, and passions of the people you intend to attract.
If you write
Women, 18 - 29, living in an urban area.
Creatives will likely hear
Feminine
Trendy
Cutesy
If you write
Young-adult women (18 - 29) who want to feel strong and accomplished. They have leadership roles at work and an active social life.
Creatives will hear
Strong
Avoid highly masculine sounding names
Align with success and fun
As you can see, when you describe your avatar or persona instead of your target customer’s demographics, you will guide the project in a much more precise and meaningful way.
Tip Three: Create a Project Statement
When it comes to naming, most people have a gut understanding of where they want to end up. Brand descriptors like modern, hip, preeminent, and fun are exactly what you are trying to capture in your name.
Create a one or two sentence project statement based on these examples:
We need a fresh, modern name that captures one of our key ideas - connectivity, productivity, and gratitude.
We need a descriptive name that captures our value proposition - we are a payment solution that is easier and more user-friendly than anything out there (PayPal?).
We need a strong name that establishes us as a preeminent solution. However, we also want to stand outside from the standard industry names.
We need an elegant name that immediately sounds like a high-end women’s fashion brand.
Tip Four: Keep your brief brief
Now that you know the essentials of writing a strong brief, there is one more principle that we’d like to share: Don’t hide the key information in a long brief!
You can share additional details with your Team of Creatives after the contest starts by using Daily Public Feedback.
Write a short brief to kick off your contest. Then post a few sentences of Public Feedback each day.
Here's an example
Imagine you are, in fact, opening a Seafood restaurant in Everett. In your brief, you’ve explained that your name must embody a hip, classy, minimalist restaurant - but you’re also interested in exploring some names with a local twist.
Instead of including this information in your brief, share it with the entire community on day two of your contest by writing this Public Message -
“What is truly essential for our name is embodying a hip, classy, minimalist seafood restaurant - but we’d love to see some name ideas that explore local themes...”
Daily Public Messages allow you to keep your brief short, focusing on the most critical information, without losing the ability to share additional details and explore further angles.
Do you want a .com URL along with your name?
Lastly, when creating your brief, you will make a choice related to your domain preferences:
I’m not looking for a URL
I want a URL but minor variations are allowed (TeslaMotors.com, GetDropbox.com)
I want an exact match URL (Atom.com, Apple.com)
If you select either of the last two options, the Atom platform will require contestants to submit a URL along with each name idea, and we will check that URL for availability.
In this case, you will not see any URLs that are not available to register for the standard registration fee of around $15 on a site like GoDaddy.
Option #1
Choose I’m not looking for a URL to indicate that you want to focus on outstanding names, not URL availability.
Option #2
Choose I want a URL but minor variations are allowed to indicate that you don’t need an exact match domain, but you’d like the Creatives to find and submit a strong, relevant, and available URL with their name ideas.
Here are some examples of minor variations
Add-ons in front of the name (Sleep Mate - GetSleepMate.com)
Add-ons in back of a name (Stone Eagle - StoneEagleAdvisors.com)
Phrases (Strive - WeAreStrive com)
Non-.com (Flashcast - Flashcast.io)
Option #3
Finally, choose I need an Exact Match URL if you’re looking for a URL that directly matches your name. In this case, you’ll need to be aware of the limitations implied with this choice, and set realistic expectations. Because so many short URLs are taken, exact match URLs are very limiting, and they can prevent you from securing a great name. For example, Mint.com was acquired for equity that now has an estimated worth of almost $50,000,000.
If you’re still not comfortable, consider our Managed Package where one of our branding consultants will create your contest brief and manage your contest. We’re excited to work with you!
Read about how to engage with your contest for the best possible results.