Analysis Separation of a whole into component parts; an examination of a complex problem, its elements, and their relationships.

Arbitrary Name Evokes vivid imagery that has little apparent

relationship to the context or function of a company, product or service. Names such as Apple, Camel and Shell are arbitrary names.

Audience The reading, viewing or listening public.

Audience Analysis Examining, categorizing and prioritizing audiences to determine targets and priorities.

Audience Type Grouping audiences into categories:

1. Customers/marketplace

2. Employees/partners

3. Financial/investment

4. Facilitators/regulators

Brand A name, term, symbol, design, or a combination of these elements, that is intended to clearly identify and differentiate a seller’s products from competitor’s products. (Webster’s)

Brand Architecture (See Brand Strategy, Identity Models, Identity Structure and Nomenclature System)

Brand Awareness A measure of the level of consumers’ awareness of a particular brand.

Brand Equity Brand equity has legitimized the idea that the consumer’s perceptions are more important than objective reality. Brand valuation, brand loyalty, and brand image are all factors of brand equity. The value of qualities and attributes implied by the brand name and reflected in choices in a competitive marketplace. Brand equity is the ability of the brand to “shift demand.” (Mercer)

Brand Equity Elements A subset of all brand image dimensions that are responsible for brand equity. (Mercer)

Brand Identity The visible elements (name, logotype, symbol, product configuration and packaging which can be used to identify a brand.

Brand Image The complete bundle of thoughts a customer has about a company, product or service. The sum of all the information about a product, service or company,influenced by communications and experience. 

Branding The development of a mix of values, tangible and intangible, which are relevant to consumers and which meaningfully and appropriately distinguish one supplier’s brand from another.

Brand Name The words, letters or numbers of a brand that can be spoken aloud. 

Brand Personality The distinguishing “human” characteristics of a brand (e.g., warm and friendly; strong and reliable, etc.). The brand’s personality is part of a brand’s overall image.

Brand Promise A statement of the enduring, relevant and distinctive benefit customers perceive to be associated with a product, service or company. The brand promise is often either contained in a positioning statement or used interchangeably with the term positioning. (See Positioning Statement and Value Proposition)

Brand Strategy Long-term plan for the brand, including a determination of key audiences and an understanding business objectives for structuring, using and developing names for an organization and its products and services. There are three fundamental brand strategy models:

1. One name model

2. Asymmetrical model

3. Holding company model

(See Brand Architecture, Identity Models, Identity Structure and Nomenclature System)

Bridge Name Makes an apparent link with the heritage or prior identity of a company, product or service. Names such as Citgo, Noxell and Group W are bridge names.

Business Strategy A company’s goals, purpose, objectives and the policies that will be used to meet them.

Categorization  audiences into distinct classes in which commonalities exist.

Communication An act or instance of transmitting information; a verbal or written message. A process where information is exchanged between individuals through a common system of symbols, signs or behavior; a system for communicating; a technique for expressing ideas effectively.

Communications Audit A formal examination of an organization’s visual and verbal communications practices.

Communications Media Vehicles for reaching target audiences:

1. Mass — advertising: television, magazine, newspaper, radio, outdoor, Internet, public relations, media relations

2. Targeted — e-mail, videos, direct mail, event sponsorship, collateral, newsletters, trade press, charitable contributions

3. Face-to-face — sales presentations, conferences/seminars, advisory councils, staff meetings, training, seminars, press conferences.

Communications Objective Purpose and goals for communicating; what the company wants to achieve through communication.

Communications Planning Process of deconstruction that addresses current communications practices as well as future communications requirements.

Communications Plan A company’s communications goals, objectives and the messages and vehicles that will be used to meet them.

Connotative Name Suggests the function, attributes or benefits of a company, product or service through the use of relevant imagery or themes. Names such as Humana, ServiStar and Infiniti are connotative names.

Corporate Brand Using the company name on products.

Corporate Identity The visible elements (name, logotypes, symbols, signs, offices, factories, advertising, trucks, packaging, letterhead, business cards, etc.) which can be used to identify a company.

Corporate Image The mental conception that people have of a company.

Corporate Purpose Defines why the organization exists, its core value and intent.

Corporate Signature The way a company or brand identifies itself (logotype, symbol, etc.). 

Culture and Style Distinctive attributes and competitive advantages relating to organizational beliefs, values and traits. How the organization uniquely goes about its business.

Descriptive Name Indicates what the company, product or service is or does in clear, straightforward language. Names such future direction) that is most relevant to priority audiences.

Design A plan for arranging elements in such a way as to best accomplish a particular purpose. To conceive or plan out in the mind; to have as a purpose; to devise for a specific function or end, to draw the plans for; to create, fashion, execute or construct according to plan. (Webster’s)

Design System (See Visual System)

Emotional Needs Underlying feelings that motivate people. These can be positive or negative (e.g., love, happiness, excitement, fear, guilt, shame).

Functional Criteria The functional characteristics of a name or a design that help ensure its effectiveness as a communications and identification device.

Future Direction Details about where the organization is going.

Key messages are identified and evaluated based on four dimensions:

1. Strategic importance

2. Relevance to audience

3. Current credibility

4. Audience understanding

Key messages are used to guide copy development:

Serve as the major content points for all communications. Are directional in nature and are not actual copy (i.e., not meant to be used verbatim). Are not the only communications content. Messages about specific offering, facility or service features and benefits may also be communicated as necessary.

Identity (See Corporate Identity)

Identity Models (see Brand Architecture, Brand Strategy, Identity Structure and Nomenclature System)

Identity Strategy Defines the unique characteristics of an offering/entity, including positioning strategy/statement, image attributes, creative criteria, communications plan and how the brand will be used in terms of names and visual identity.

Identity Structure (see Brand Architecture, Brand Strategy, Identity Models, Nomenclature System)

Image The way the public imagines a company, product or brand. (See Corporate Image and Brand Image)

Image Attributes Help define the tone and manner and personality and style of a brand. At times when differentiation through product and service features is difficult to sustain, increasingly it is the brand’s/company’s personality and image that differentiates and creates preference.

Image Criteria The desired image or “personality” attributes of a company, product or service that guide name and design and design development. Names/designs should project at least one of the image attributes and be compatible with the others.

Implementation Strategy Determining required budgets, resources and commitment to launch and roll out a new identity.

Invented Name Creates a new “coined” word to identify a company, product or service whose root meaning is not recognizable or apparent. Enron, NYNEX and Xerox are examples of invented names.

Linguistic Analysis A qualitative analysis conducted to determine whether or not names have any improper or negative associations in targeted languages.

Listing Developing a detailed index of audiences.

Logo The visual expression of a corporate or brand name.

Logotype Logotypes may be composed of typeset, altered or newly drawn letterforms to identify a company or brand. Mobil and Coca-Cola use logotypes.

Message Content Significant facts, strengths, cultural/style and future direction messages.

Message Mapping Determining the relative importance of messages to specific audience segments.

Message Themes Clustering key messages around major themes.

Mission Expresses a clear and compelling goal that unites organizational behavior. Often used interchangeably with vision.

Media Selection Determining appropriate communications vehicles to effectively deliver key messages to each audience.

Media selection is based on six factors:

• 1. Reach

  2. Ability to leverage or merchandise

  3. Appropriateness to message

  4. Credibility of source

  5. Frequency

  6. Efficiency (cost/reach)

Name Directions Creative concepts that guide name generation.

Name Generation Creative development of a comprehensive yet focused list of names that address specific image and functional criteria.

Naming The strategic and creative discipline of developing the most appropriate word or words to identify an organization, product or service.

Nomenclature System Method for associating divisions, subsidiaries’ brands, etc., with the parent company. (See Brand Architecture, Brand Strategy, and Identity Models)

Planning A method for achieving an end; a detailed formulation of a program of action; an orderly arrangement of parts of an overall design; a method devised for making or doing something or attaining an end.

Positioning Statement Provides the underlying platform for communications and is the heart of the communications plan. It reflects the company’s/brand’s value proposition and distinguishes the company’s offerings/brand offering from those of its competition by articulating the company’s brand’s unique strengths. 

The positioning should address the following:

1. Definition — How the company defines its business or how the brand defines its competitive set; who we are and what we do.

2. Differentiation — What makes the company/brand special; how we do it.

3. Deliverable — What benefit it delivers to its customers

A positioning should be: Credible, Relevant, Unique, Durable

A positioning is an internal tool used to drive communications, but ideally should also serve as: A litmus test to evaluate the appropriateness of various actions — what fits/ strengthens the company’s/ brand’s value proposition, what does not.

Positioning Themes Developed by examining key messages and message themes.

Preliminary Legal Screening An online trademark scan of federal and state registrations to determine the preliminary legal availability of names in specific trademark classifications.

Prioritization Ranking key audiences by order of importance.

Purpose (See Corporate Purpose)

Reach The number of people exposed to a specific communication (i.e., advertisement, speech, etc.)

Strategic Objectives The plan for achieving a company’s mission and goals.

Strengths Distinguishing attributes and competitive advantages.

Surname Uses the proper name of a significant person or place as the name of a company, product or service. Chrysler, Gillette and Seabury & Smith are examples of surnames.

Symbol A non-typographic element of an abstract or representational nature. Texaco, Apple and Continental Airlines use graphic symbols.

Tone and Manner The style of language used in copy and graphic imagery (e.g., word choices, syntax, photography/illustration, etc.) that helps create a distinctive, consistent personality for the brand.

Trademark A distinguishing name, sign, symbol, design, or a combination of them, intended to identify the source of the goods or services or one seller or group of sellers and to differentiate them from those of competitors.

Trademark Securance The process of applying for and registering a name in all applicable markets and trademeark classifications. A number of factors are included in the process:

1. The specific nature of the goods or services to be trademarked

2. Their relationship to the goods or services covered by the potentially conflicting mark

3. The similarity of the marks in sight, sound or meaning

4. The exclusivity of the cited mark 

5. Whether a potentially confusing mark cited in the search report is still in use

6. Any history of prior litigation covering the proposed mark

Values The principles under which a company operates; the culture which supports the corporate purpose and mission.

Value Proposition (see Brand Promise & Positioning)

Vision What the organization aspires to become, achieve or create. Requires thinking beyond current capabilities of the organization.

Visual Relating to, or used in vision; attained or maintained by sight; impressions, producing mental images, done or executed by sight.

Visual Communications Tools which may be used to create and maintain a planned corporate identity. Every element of a company which is of a visible nature can and should be designed to reflect a consistent, accurate and favorable identity. Visual communications can include brochures, advertisements, exhibits and business forms of all kinds, as well as logotypes, symbols, signs, reception rooms, products and packages, etc.

Visual System A visual system includes:

1. Symbol and/or logotype — primary form of identification

2. Nomenclature system — method for associating divisions, subsidiaries’ brands, etc., with primary form of identification

3. Color — a key ingredient for enhancing memorability through consistent application

4. Typography — specific guidelines for using a limited number of typefaces to ensure a consistent and cohesive identity

5. Graphic Format — creating a family look for materials

6. Materials — specifications for paper, paint, signs and the like Wordmark Wordmarks incorporate a mark into a logotype. The mark is often extracted to be used alone.