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Lessons from the Name Game
While watching my favorite sport in the universe (tennis) at Indian Wells, I noticed one of the key sponsors: Steve Furgal’s International Tennis Tours. Of course, my mind registered it as “frugal.” It wasn’t until I went to this sponsor’s booth andreviewed its Luxury Suite Packages – starting at $3,000 – that I realized that these tours are anything but miserly. Clearly, I am not lovin’ this matchup of his name and company.
What’s the lesson here: Naming your company after yourself is wrought with danger and especially so if your name has potential negative connotations (ex: Hazard Construction, Grief Investments, etc.). For a very meaty discussion of the real issues facing naming today, please see Chapter 3 of Red Fire Branding.
Few folks can turn a lemon of a name into lemonade better than Rick Butts. Whereas I might have cursed this name, Rick has created a star-studded career devoted to “the Big Butts of Life – Get off Your Excuses and Do Big Things.” What a great way to buttress his brand!