Writing
10 pieces
More brand, less celebrity
Brands that could survive without big name backings There’s a special kind of paradox at the intersection of celebrity and branding. Fame, especially when wielded as an endorsement, is a shortcut: a fast-track to relevance, a built-in audience, a persistent spotlight that attracts attention before it might be justified. Brand building, on the other hand,
Dollar Store Names: The Deals, The Steals, The Thrills
Dollar stores live in the world of practical magic. A place where $5 feels like $50, and a name can be the thing that turns “eh, maybe” into “why not?” The best dollar store names don’t just tell you what you’re getting; they evoke an emotional response, spark curiosity, or cleverly allude to their mainstream
Is “Lifestyle” A Four Letter Word?
As the saying goes, there are two types of people in the world: those who think lifestyle is a four-letter word and those who don’t. I find myself squarely in the second camp but have never really asked myself why? Perhaps it’s because when I first heard the term lifestyle in the early 2000s, brands
Once, Twice, Three Times Creative: How to enjoy an effective extra round of creative work
Creative endeavors can sometimes produce an environment where a client is curious to see as many options as possible. In the case of our naming business we call this a third round. For reference, we typically develop company and product names across two rounds—a third is rare, but sometimes helpful. We’ve built our naming process around
The good, the bad, and the bubbly: Naming premixed cocktails
I first became aware of premixed cocktails a few years back via a client project at A Hundred Monkeys. This modern beverage invention — a can, bottle, or ball containing an alcoholic mixture — takes a novel approach to drink-making by putting alcohol in a vessel along with traditional cocktail ingredients and sealing it shut. Premixed cocktails, for the
The state of writing at A Hundred Monkeys
At the end of every year at A Hundred Monkeys our leadership team gets together in Mill Valley, down the street from the old auto repair shop where we first started working together. We reflect on the work we’ve done over the past year and talk about the work we want to do next
Empty Vessel Company Names: The Fortune 500’s Secret Weapon
Cigna, Avnet, and Alcoa are all Fortune 500 companies. Each has what we call an “empty vessel” name—a moniker with little meaning for a given audience. Empty vessels are extraordinarily popular with large companies in most industries. Names are an opportunity to tell the world who you are. Why, then, would anyone choose an empty
What to Expect from a Brand Consultant
So you’ve decided to work with a brand consultant. That’s the first step. Of course, now that you know you are doing it, you have to hire a brand consultant, and there are a lot of people out there offering their services. Since the reason you decided to hire a brand consultant in the first
Rebranding: Companies that Succeeded
There are many things to consider when rebranding companies. A rebrand might simply consist of a new logo, or even just updated colors. Or it could be a new company name and an entire visual makeover. Truly successful rebranding means understanding your company’s situation well enough to judge what level of rebranding is right for
Creating a Startup Identity
For any startup, a great idea is the message. A great brand is the bullhorn. For people to hear about a startup–and even more than that, to remember it when they need to–a startup’s message has to be loud and clear. That’s what we mean when we talk about identity: a loud, clear message that