This Element is an excerpt from The Truth About Creating Brands People Love (ISBN: 9780137128167) by Brian D. Till and Donna Heckler. Available in print and digital formats.

Get branding right from the start, with great product names, powerful differentiators, and meaningful, motivating, memorable taglines.

“Close-Up,” “Jiffy Lube,” “Rain Dance,” “The Medicine Shoppe,” “Irish Spring,” and “Puppy Chow”: all are great names that reflect the essence of the product or service. Good branding starts with the name--the representation of the brand, conjuring images, concepts, and experiences. The name is the foundation for these perceptions....