What I'm teaching in May: The "Science" of Naming
Overcome your fear of talking to your clients about trademarks, linguistics, and other potential issues that could prevent them from using a name successfully.
Helping naming clients navigate potential risks can feel daunting. But it doesn’t have to be.
If you’ve ever wondered about how to include filtering for trademark, common-law, linguistic, or cultural issues as part of your naming process, this is the class for you.
You’ll learn the ins and outs of reducing the risk profile of brand names as a namer.
How to speak trademark as a non-lawyer, and how to work successfully with trademark databases, trademark software, and lawyers.
Must-dos when checking for obvious linguistic and cultural issues, how to understand what’s a real disaster versus something you can make work with the right strategy
How common-law protections (meaning the trademark rights that businesses get for names that aren’t registered as trademarks) should influence the way you check names for potential problems
What ~mindshare~ around certain words, phrases, and even visual elements can mean about what is and isn’t ok to name something—even when trademarks aren’t involved
How to provide good advice around picking a domain
How to find out whether there are other things that can make or break a name for your client—BEFORE the project gets too far
When naming validation research might be useful, and when it’s better to just make a choice
Plus, we’ll get into WHY all of this matters, both for you and the people you create names for.
(You’'ll also get this handy little book I wrote about lowering risks throughout the naming process.)
I'm offering it as two 90-minute classes (the scheduling link will say three hours, but it’s three hours total), with some homework in between.
You can take it across two mornings in May:
May 1, 8:00–9:30 am + May 8, 8:00–9:30 am
I hope to see you in class!
Happy naming,
Caitlin
Want more naming resources?
Take an upcoming Naming for Everyone class
Download free booklets from the Truth in Branding series on naming and trademarks