All in a Name

Imagine getting hired to walk into someone’s delivery room and name their new baby. You’d get a lot of “oohh, that’s awful” or “I’d never name my kid that”. That’s essentially the job of any marketing firm that takes on the task of renaming an organization. Earlier this week the EE Football Team unveiled their new name and visual identity as the Edmonton Elks. Response was generally quite positive for the reveal but there were still many who felt they hadn’t done their research or had missed the boat on the renaming opportunity. Inevitably half will really like it, half won’t, and the other half will despise it.

To me, naming projects are the hardest thing in marketing for many reasons and this work done by the now Elks got me thinking about those challenges and lessons.

It’s emotional – even if clients suggest they’re ready for the change, it’s still an emotional experience. Much like my hospital room example, whether they’ve founded the organization or not, they have a connection to the existing name they may not even recognize or understand, and it’ll surface at some point.

It’s not all about the name – One time I was brought into a packed boardroom in front of 30 staff to talk through their name change. Many expressed worry that we were changing their identity as staff and were taking away what they’d accomplished as an organization. The lesson was the depth to which people felt that change and how much I needed to soothe them that their brand, individual contributions, and their value were only being enhanced, and not eliminated, by a clearer name.

Hidden fear – No matter the type of organization, the ones driving the name change will be scared but will hide it. It’s the fear of the unknown of how people will respond to it or whether it will provide value. The challenge for marketers is this anxiety will be hidden. The fear will show itself in other ways like asking for more and more options, or pushback on other projects that are normally easy. Address this early and help them through the fear. If you show you’re on their side and empathize with that fear, the process will go much smoother.

One piece of marketing puzzle – If someone came to me tomorrow and said I could no longer be called Doug and had to be William (a fine name by the way), it would feel really weird. Over time, however, I’d realize it didn’t change who I am, my personality, or my values. I’m not saying names aren’t important in business or as part of a brand, they are, but they’re not the most important thing. Remind yourself of that as you debate round 10 of moniker options.

I’m not a parent but I know many who have had a gut wrenching time deciding what to name a new arrival. I can understand that stress but no matter what is chosen, four months into that baby’s life, those same parents couldn’t imagine any other name for their child. Naming is difficult work but must be taken into context, especially if you’re ever hired to step into that hospital room.