German playground mythology, brother's beef, and mild to severe drug dealers.
Brand name insights from MoreSimple.
On your marks. Get set. Go!
Welcome to the first issue of MoreSimple Wordmarks, color commentary on brand names brought to you in black and white. Today we’re looking at the name brands of a global sportswear line, my favorite fast-food chain, and a drug that costs way more than my first car! – Jason Franzen
ILLUMINATI
All day I dream about smiles?
I recall the bully on my fifth-grade playground telling me that the name on my shoes spelled “All Day I Dream About Sex.” I suppose his older brother had passed on this juvenile interpretation of the urban myth that ADIDAS was an acronym for “All Day I Dream About Sports.” Both were false, but the concept resonated deeply within me. The idea that a word could have multiple meanings or derivations of meaning captivated my mind, and that day, my life took a slight turn toward wit and wordplay.
(ADIDAS, in fact, was derived from the founder’s name, Adolf (Adi) Dassler, a German cobbler who began manufacturing sports shoes in the 1920s. Adi-Das employed the practice of condensing words and names (portmanteau) prevalent among early industrialists.)
This was my earliest memory of experiencing what designers Beryl McAlhone and David Stuart later referred to as “A Smile in the Mind.” When our brains uncover something unexpected and uniquely satisfying, we can sense a tingle of euphoria as we connect the dots. I cherished that feeling and sought a way to create these moments for others.
As I eventually found my way to branding, one of my objectives in creating a great name is to deliver this invisible burst of joy as people make the connection I intend to convey. Whether it’s a witty allusion or a profound foundation to purpose, the power of anchoring an idea to a discovery has proven invaluable to brands worldwide.
A remarkable brand name will be memorable because it leaves an indelible mark on our minds, akin to the impact of a firecracker on the sidewalk.
EUREKA
Where’s the beef?
I can’t fathom the countless roast beef sandwiches I’ve savored at Arby’s throughout my life. Their signature Arby’s sauce and delectable cherry turnovers have kept me coming back for decades. One particularly memorable moment occurred during a mid-bite of a mouthwatering Regular Roast Beef - Roast. Beef. R. B. R. B.s. It hit me like a lightbulb that the name itself was a phonetic pronunciation of the letters “R” and “B”! But then, I wondered, shouldn’t it be plural (RBs/Arbys) instead of possessive (RB’s/Arby’s)? Surprisingly, it turns out that “RB’s” is actually a shortened form of “Raffel Brothers,” the founders of the company. The Roast Beef (RB) was simply a fortunate coincidence.
Arby’s took their brand name to new heights with advertising campaigns that cleverly played on its acronymic nature. Who can forget the iconic slogan, “Arby’s: America’s Roast Beef, Yes Sir!” Before asserting their claim to having all the meats, they boldly declared ownership of an entire country’s beef supply! Such Roast Bravado (RB!) it was!
Arby’s serves as a testament to the power of a memorable brand name that we often accept without fully understanding its origin or true meaning. Thank you, Forrest and Leroy Raffel, for your ingenious wordmark wordplay!
When you encounter a name without an obvious meaning, it can surprise you to find it was created with a definite intent.
PHARMA, BRO?
Side-effects may include severe rizz
Having worked on numerous pharmaceutical names, I empathize with those attempting to create a remarkable brand name for drugs. Drug names carry additional complications and regulatory hurdles compared to most product names. Pharmaceutical names must be “uniquely pronounceable,” meaning they sound distinct when spoken aloud. This is crucial to prevent confusion, especially when prescriptions are communicated over the phone or filled in pharmacies. We don’t want individuals to mistakenly confuse two critically different drugs simply because they sound similar. Consequently, drug names have increasingly become more exotic and abstract as the market becomes more saturated.
Despite not having (moderate to severe) Plaque Psoriasis or (active) Psoriatic Arthritis, I am frequently presented with ads for the drug Skyrizi (perhaps it’s due to the shows I watch). After repeatedly seeing the commercials, I certainly recall the name, but I still had to consult a reference to understand the conditions it treats! Skyrizi is a memorable name, but even as a brand naming professional, I struggle to discern the logical reasoning behind it. The best I can gather is that the name is an allusion to the active ingredient “risankizumab-rzaa.” It selectively chooses certain syllables (ri & za) to shorten this ingredient name and then adds the “Sky” to make it more lighthearted. Sky+Ri+Za became Skyrizi for the sake of ease of pronunciation. It’s a practical solution for a complex problem.
However, the name doesn’t directly reference any of the conditions it treats. Consequently, they have invested tens of millions of dollars in television advertisements to build public recognition—teaching this new concept to millions of individuals who will never require it. It’s almost as if they have money to burn…
The list price of Skyrizi is $21,017.26 (as of January 2024).
With enough money, you can turn any brand name into a household one.