The Name Game

Would the Pornstar Martini have become the world’s favourite cocktail if its creator, Douglas Ankrah, had stuck with its original name, the Maverick Martini?

If Google and Nike had kept their original incarnations, would we be 'Backrub'-ing the internet for the latest 'Blue Ribbon Sports' drop, or would these now-iconic brands have been lost to lacklustre monikers?

Recently, Hollywood’s tendency to play it safe with titles has sanded down any sharp edges to appeal to a wider audience. Zoe Kravitz’s Blink Twice, for instance, began life as the more eyebrow-raising Pussy Island, while Netflix’s A Family Affair flirted with the scandalous MotherF------r. Both would have arguably courted more niche attention had they stayed true to their original names.

A title isn’t merely a label; it’s a gravitational force, either pulling people in or sending them running for the hills. Be it a film, a product or a brand, the name you choose can be more pivotal to success than the content itself.

This principle applies across all creative projects. The title of a script, the name of a campaign platform, the front page of a pitch deck or the name of a brand experience is often the most critical element. A lacklustre title can condemn your script to the status of the greatest story never told; your brand activation, without a catchy appellation, may as well be an exercise in brand inactivation.

The title is the hook that gets repeated ad nauseam. It's a shorthand to success, the badge bandied between clients and agency echoing through corporate corridors on the way to commercial flight.  A catchy name that encapsulates the strategy and proposition will sail through every meeting, elevator pitch and boardroom like a knife-shaped duck through hot buttered waters.

Nike’s 2010 World Cup campaign was initially rejected when presented as 'Make History' - deemed too backwards looking for a future focused brand. But the exact same campaign and exact same concept was rubber-stamped to success when reinterpreted as 'Write The Future' and, ironically, made history on stages everywhere.

Renaming an existing product also helps communicate meaning and messaging. 'Volvo Albedo 100' packs a lesser emotional punch than 'Volvo Life Paint.' Renaming it made it more clearly understood by its audience reaping rewards, awards and more importantly saving lives.

Titles like The Next Rembrandt, The After Hours Athlete and Fearless Girl elevate concepts beyond the execution to become award-winning campaigns. Finding the right name is a power move that encapsulates the strategy, the idea and the execution. It's more influential than the detail you put in the script, the scale you add with celebrity or the freshness you bring through technology. 

Six tips for naming:

• Encapsulate or Evaporate A great title isn’t just a label; it’s a single punch that conveys the entire concept, aligning strategy with execution.
• Clarity Over Confusion: If your name needs a backstory, it’s time to rethink it. A title should tell the story, not require one.
• Search or Sink: If your name drowns in a sea of search results, you risk sinking into obscurity
• Short or Shunned: If it can’t fit on a sticky note, it won’t stick at all.
• Earworm or Else: If your name doesn’t wiggle its way into your brain, it’s fish food.
• Purpose Over Punchline: Clever names are fun, but don’t let the joke outshine the job. 

Whatever kind of campaign you're crafting, remember that the title is your ticket to success. Make it irresistibly short, sharp and strategic and watch it fly from rejected to revered.