In this episode of Naming in the AI Age, Mike Carr and Ashley Elliott discuss how to reduce legal risk in brand naming, using the Smucker’s vs. Trader Joe’s case as an example. They contrast descriptive names like Trader Joe’s Crustless Peanut Butter and Strawberry Jam Sandwiches - clear but hard to protect - with distinctive names like Smucker’s Uncrustables, which are unique and ownable. Mike and Ashley explain that naming strategy should align with business goals: private labels can lean o...
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In this episode of Naming in the AI Age, Mike Carr and Ashley Elliott discuss how to reduce legal risk in brand naming, using the Smucker’s vs. Trader Joe’s case as an example. They contrast descriptive names like Trader Joe’s Crustless Peanut Butter and Strawberry Jam Sandwiches - clear but hard to protect - with distinctive names like Smucker’s Uncrustables, which are unique and ownable. Mike and Ashley explain that naming strategy should align with business goals: private labels can lean o...
Branding & Naming Guidelines: 10 Common Mistakes & How to Fix Them
Naming in an AI Age
15 minutes
4 months ago
Branding & Naming Guidelines: 10 Common Mistakes & How to Fix Them
In this episode, Mike Carr highlights the top ten mistakes companies make with branding and naming guidelines. He explains how long, rigid documents often go unused and how internal focus can alienate teams and confuse customers. Using examples from OpenAI, Intel, Xbox, BMW, and Toyota, he stresses the importance of flexible, customer-first strategies, clear quick-start guides, and dynamic, AI-powered tools that evolve with the market.
Naming in an AI Age
In this episode of Naming in the AI Age, Mike Carr and Ashley Elliott discuss how to reduce legal risk in brand naming, using the Smucker’s vs. Trader Joe’s case as an example. They contrast descriptive names like Trader Joe’s Crustless Peanut Butter and Strawberry Jam Sandwiches - clear but hard to protect - with distinctive names like Smucker’s Uncrustables, which are unique and ownable. Mike and Ashley explain that naming strategy should align with business goals: private labels can lean o...