One Word Identity
Today’s fast paced world is a watered down one, where virtually everything is abbreviated. In sports, it’s not the New York Knickerbockers®, it’s the New York Knicks®. It’s not the New York Metropolitans, it’s the New York Mets®. It’s not the Oakland Athletics, and you can’t do one better than this, it’s the Oakland A’s®. It’s also the same way in media. It’s no longer the Outdoor Life Network or OLN, it’s Versus®. It’s no longer The National Network or TNN, it’s Spike®. In fitness, the same mentality holds true. No one goes to a gymnasium, they go to the gym.
In the vernacular of modern society, people no longer say anything in its entirety…just another reason why organizations everywhere are scrambling to switch to the shortest form of recognition…the one word identity.
Recognition factor studies consistently show that people remember best what’s shortest, simplest, and easiest to recall. In today’s marketplace, NAME RULES. The ones that are proving to be the most successful are those that are short, catchy, unique, simple, and easy to remember… just one syllable or one word.
Take a look at some of these and see if you’ve ever heard of any of them: Nike®, Geico®, Bowflex®, Curves®, Yahoo!®, Google®, Amazon®, ebay®, Monster®, ipod®, Blackberry®, and we could go on and on all day. But you get the picture, right? Most of these are relatively new brands, yet shortness, uniqueness and simplicity has enabled them to build huge sums of recognition almost overnight, which in turn generates tremendous amounts of brand value.
Even older, far more established companies such as Federal Express® are waking up to the power of the one word identity. Today, they’re far better known as Fedex® than they were decades ago by their traditional name! Curves For Women® has come to realize the power too, opting for the abbreviated, easier to say and remember, one word identity…Curves®.
After painstakingly examining just about every fitness brand on the market, we came to the conclusion that, over time, many had grown old, were outdated, or just plain ordinary. Most were not one word terms. Most relied upon washed-up terms that no longer appealed the way they once did. Terms that no longer matched up well against more contemporary ones in a world of catchy, snappy terminology and unique, distinctive branding. Terms that were so frequently used that they’d become the lowest, common denominator. Terms that were so common and everyday that they could no longer deliver a differentiated image. Terms that caused those who used them to fall victim to the this fitness, that gym identity trap.
As a dealer, you can rest assured that you’ll never fall into this trap. When brands are baited with those tired, worn-out, washed-up, old, burned-out, overused terms, fitness and gym, it causes everybody in the industry to look and sound the same.
Simply put, the shortest form of recognition, the one word identity, has become your business’ most valuable asset. Just imagine what a difference the promotional power and marketing magic of a short, catchy, attention-getting, easy to say and remember, one word name will make for your establishment. That’s why branding with smashmouth® makes all the sense in the world!