This document discusses five approaches to naming a brand portfolio: 1. Keeping names simple for ease of use and familiarity. 2. Using distinct sub-brands to meet different customer needs. 3. Creating clear relationships between products to guide customers. 4. Naming products for specific occasions of use. 5. Allowing customers to guide the naming through natural preferences.

1. Promises to
keep:
Five approaches to
naming your portfolio
Creating and managing
brand value
TM

2. Interbrand | Pg. 1
Promises to keep:
Five approaches to naming
your portfolio
by Caitlin Barrett and Marina Suholutsky
A brand is a complex thing to parse, but 1. Simplify selection series numbers, so there’s no risk of ending
if you could crack one open, chances are, up with a 79 Series.)
With consumers’ mental bandwidth at
at the heart of it, you’d find a promise. A
capacity, simplicity is like a blast of AC Because the value propositions around
promise to consumers that it will act a
cutting through a sweltering day. Take these series are so clear, it’s easy for buyers
certain way, talk a certain way, and live a
BMW’s international “Sheer Driving to self-select — entering at the series level
certain way. Every living breathing brand,
Pleasure” tagline, which has held strong and then narrowing selection from the
like every living breathing human, knows
for over 25 years. BMW’s naming system two to five models generally available
it’s not enough to merely make a promise —
endures alongside, delivering familiarity in each. And while a dealer is crucial to
the question is can you keep it?
and ease of navigation. The brand stays the customer journey, an easy-to-crack
Brands make good on their promises in relevant without need for reinvention naming system makes the job of buying
many ways, but one of the most because simplicity, it seems, is a luxury and selling luxury vehicles more pleasurable
powerful — and some might say complex — that consumers are willing to pay for. for everyone.
is through smart naming systems. Names,
BMW’s architecture consists of seven 2. Meet distinct needs with distinct
and the relationships created among them,
numeric series, each with a distinct value sub-brands
shouldn’t reflect internal org charts or
proposition. The 1 Series, its entry-level
inventory systems. The secret to being true A single promise can be fulfilled in more
offer, is made up of the smallest cars in the
to your brand is to name in a way that aligns ways than one. Sometimes making good
portfolio, while the 7 Series is the luxury
with the way customers choose you. on your promise means creating separate
carmaker’s flagship, and the portfolio area
brands devoted to different needs. Olay,
There are five essential approaches to where innovations are first introduced.
the anti-aging guru, organizes its portfolio
consider when developing a naming system So it’s intuitive: A higher number equals
to meet the one-size-does-not-fit-all
that delivers on your brand’s promise to a bigger, better car. (And new product
skincare needs of women.
its customers. generations are rolled out under the existing

3. Promises to keep: Five approaches to naming your portfolio Interbrand | Pg. 2
Each of its sub-brands delivers on a distinct among products; they speak the language you just have to know how to listen.
pledge — Olay Regenerist promotes cell of the audience, and that makes it easier Johnnie Walker, for example, is as well
regeneration, Olay Definity defines skin for its audience to choose Philosophy. known for its whiskey as for its color-coded
tone, and Olay Total Effects offers holistic, naming. But this wasn’t always the case.
4. Create occasions for use
7-in-1 anti-aging defense. These names
In 1909, the Johnnie Walker brand
are suggestive not only in approach, but The functional beverages market is
borrowed from the consumer lexicon to
reflect an understanding of what anti-aging notoriously saturated with claims about
rename their Old Highland, Special Old
consumers are looking for in a fountain of focus, weight management, energy and
Highland, and Extra Special Old Highland
youth. And while each sub-brand goes to hydration. And for some brands, this seeps
blends. This type of versioning is rarely
market with a distinct look and feel, they all into how they name, wanting you to know,
engaging or intuitive, so customers took
reinforce Olay’s position as a winner when all at once, that their products contain
the lead by developing relationships with
it comes to fighting the effects of time. the health-boosting effects of açai, the
the brand’s elements that were simple and
digestive benefits of probiotics, and the
3. reate clear — and memorable —
C represented clear differences in quality
energy boost of taurine — all without a
relationships among products levels — the label colors.
single calorie! This can be exhausting for
Any consumer who has visited a drug store consumers: It’s hard to know what’s really Walker smartly responded with Red Label
knows that choosing the right skincare important when making a choice. and Black Label whiskey. By following
products can be complicated. Some brands customers’ natural proclivities, the
That’s what makes Gatorade’s latest entry
name to the problem, some name to the brand abandoned a highly limited name
to this crowded market such a winner. Its
benefit, and some name for a breakthrough versioning system to an intuitive, customer-
G Series uses a functional naming architecture
ingredient. It can be tough to understand coded approach — and it has stuck for over
that tells consumers when, why, and in
how they’re all supposed to come together a century. (And good thing, too; by now we
what order to consume its sports drinks.
in a skincare routine that actually works. might have been ordering up an Extremely
Gatorade’s promise has long been about Extra Special Old Highland on the rocks.)
Philosophy, the skincare and beauty
helping athletes perform at their best, and
brand, promises an effective, simplified Be true and prosper
its G Series makes it easy to hydrate the
beauty and personal care routine, and
right way before, during, and after physical In much the same way successful
it delivers this through umbrella names
activity. It’s broken out into three steps: relationships among people rely on you
that use unexpected humor to maximize
Gatorade 01 Prime, for pre-workout energy, to show, not tell, that you’re honest,
memorability. Also intrinsic to Philosophy’s
Gatorade 02 Perform, to help athletes trustworthy, and genuine, a great naming
approach are consistent descriptors to
sustain a serious workout, and Gatorade 03 system is a powerful way to follow through
help consumers understand relationships
Recover, formulated specifically to replenish on all that your brand represents. Show
in its portfolio. While there are plenty of
tired bodies and aid muscle recovery. your customers that you’re willing to live,
standalone products in the portfolio, the
breathe, and name to the promise of your
products that are grouped together are the This architecture isn’t just easy; it’s smart.
brand. And that means you’ll make long-
ones that stand out. The brand uses its naming system to inform
lasting — and profitable — connections with
audiences that they have very specific
If you’re looking to reverse aging, you’ll find customers who know that you’ll always
hydration needs at different points during
Miracle Worker, a line of products including deliver the experience that they expect. ■
their activity, and, thanks to Gatorade’s
a Miraculous Anti-Aging Moisturizer,
long history with providing athletes with
Miraculous Anti-Aging Retinoid Pads,
the right fuel for top performance, they’re
and a Miraculous Anti-Aging Concentrate.
able to simultaneously create desire and
Dealing with oiliness? Try the Never Let
satisfy need.
Them See You Shine series. Dry skin?
Philosophy provides a solution with 5. et customers guide how they
L
When Hope is Not Enough. choose you
Philosophy borrows from out-of-category Sometimes, your customers are telling you
language to create memorable naming the types of names that work best for them —
systems that not only clarify relationships

4. Caitlin Barrett Marina Suholutsky
Caitlin is a Senior Consultant for Marina is an Associate Consultant in
Interbrand New York’s Verbal Identity Interbrand New York’s Verbal Identity
department. She develops smart, department. She believes in the power
insightful creative work that marries of simple, targeted language to capture
clients’ brand strategies with their and communicate brand value.
needs and goals.
With a focus on naming systems and
Every brand has an authentic — and ideation, and a not-so-secret affinity for
compelling — story to tell. By helping spoken word poetry, Marina helps build
clients understand the power of language, brands that speak authentically, act
Caitlin connects brands to consumers strategically, and always keep their
who truly align with their values. audience in mind.
Paola Norambuena
Senior Director, Head of Verbal Identity
T: 212 798 7590
paola.norambuena@interbrand.com
Creating and managing
interbrand.com brand value
TM