Shakespeare’s Juliet asks, “What’s in a name?  That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.”

But here’s the deal.  Everything is in a name.  As I approach graduation, I catch myself judging names of companies pretty often. Though I’m not a stickler for only the big names like Edelman and Ogilvy, I do look for a sense of strength in the lens provided for the public to view the company through.

What I mean is that there are three types of company names:

1. A person’s name
2. A name that connotes the brand
3. A joke of a name

In regard to first, these companies are the partnerships, the companies named after the visionary leader that moves the company toward success.  This type of company becomes a household name among it’s clients, and the industry, creating value for the name.

The second is generally the company that alludes, or makes reference to the industry they work in.  To me, these are the companies like publications, Vogue is a reference to the fashion industry, Gentleman’s Quarterly (GQ) is a reference to a demographic; allowing the audience to connect the dots.

This brings me to the third type of company…

This company has a “fun” name that somebody thought would draw clients in, and would make their client work sound easy and  carefree.  Unfortunately, when a company has a name like this, I automatically believe that they will then treat my business as if I had children running my campaign.

Considering this, my answer to Juliet would be this: Everything is in a name, whether it should be or not.  When I ask for a rose, I want a rose; when seeking professionals, I do not want a child-like mentality.