Helpful words

running brand naming

Ingredients to run with

Taking a closer look at running shoe ingredient branding There is a vast world of running shoe ingredient brands. What started with Nike Air and Asics Gel has exploded into a supernova of running technologies™️. While these running companies are busy churning out new innovations, what are they actually communicating to their customers? Do runners…

Being creative on demand

For money. With a deadline. Time is ticking. Creativity is not an on-demand resource, even though working in the creative field makes it feel that way. People hire you for your creativity based on your track record or your client list or because they think you’re a “creative person.” Sometimes creativity flows effortlessly and other…

We’ve Got Your Number: Brand Names that Use Numbers

At A Hundred Monkeys we know that names are made up of interesting stuff. Sometimes there are rich stories, curious histories, or interesting etymologies baked in. Other times brands include unexpected “characters” like letters from ancient alphabets, mathematical symbols, or numbers. I was curious to explore the latter of these three types of names and…

A day in the life of “the everyday customer”

T̶h̶e̶ ̶m̶a̶n̶, the myth… As creative professionals working with clients big and small, we sometimes hear this phrase: “the name needs to appeal to the everyday customer”, or “…the everywoman”, etc. Usually this comes from market research and a need (particularly for large brands) to secure their spot on shelves around the country with a name that…

Don’t kill these names

Recently, when sharing names with clients, I’ve had a few folks say something along the lines of “That’s a nice name but it sounds like a soap company” or “If I were starting an [insert industry here] brand, this would be perfect.” To which my response is something along the lines of “Yes, that name…

Is your name carrying its weight?

Here’s how to tell if your name is doing all it can for you. Also, if you decide to change your name, we’ll discuss the best time to do it. One: Start with the business side of things. Are you clear on your core business offerings, how you’re different, and how you’re positioned against the…

So Happy Together: Exploring the Outer Reaches of Brand Collaborations

Brand collaborations have strong potential to enter our visual and mental landscapes as rich, contrasting ephemera. They might be a fleeting moment, a long running partnership, or something in between. Some are intriguing, niche, and maybe even elegant. Others are tepid, unironically brutish, or blatantly self-serving. Finally, some are truly and remarkably bizarre, leaving most consumers bewildered…

Even big names need help naming

Why star-studded naming projects usually burn out Celebrities, they’re just like us. They drink iced coffee, they pump gas. Sometimes they have an idea for something, and that something needs a name. It may come as a surprise that a celebrity would reach out to a naming studio like ours. Public figures often have their own…

We’re all creatives and judges

How creative decisions force us to rewire our brains It can be daunting to stare at a list of options when you only need one. For most of us, the natural approach is to find the answer. Thanks to years of multiple choice, standardized testing, and everyday problem-solving, we’re programmed to gradually eliminate incorrect answers from a…

Trademark Screening 101: How we get it done at A Hundred Monkeys

It’s not all fun and games over here at A Hundred Monkeys. We, too, are governed by the laws of the United States. Specifically, trademark law happens to be very much a part of our business. We’ve gotten to know the intersection of trademark law and naming over the years. We’ve designed our process in…

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