Numbers v/s Words

Do words make for less memorable brand names than numbers? It's difficult to generally agree or disagree with the question I have posed my self here but I am inclined to believe that when it comes to brand names, people remember numbers better than words.

A quick poll will demonstrate that most brand names are words. And if most brand names are words, it doesn't take an Einstein to tell you that a number in a roomfull of words will stand out. In which case, to bring up a case in this point, why is Wal-Mart a bigger brand than say 7/11? Because, as I've repeated time and again and again, a brand name is only a part of the marketing mix. Wal-Mart is a bigger brand than 7/11 because it has a stronger value proposition.

Other non-word aspects of brand naming will bring us to things like hyphens and slashes that are built into brand names. These little bits of non-alphabet cues are smart things to put into brand names. Point is, anything that makes a brand name stand out in a world full of brand words is a good thing to consider when you're looking for a memorable brand name.

Back now to the original topic of this post. Do numbers make for better brand names? Simple answer: Yes. Complicated nuance: Just coming up with a number for a brand name doesn't mean you're on your way to building a big brand. But it is a good starting point. Takeaway thought: The next time you're thinking of new brand names, you might want to spend a little time thinking of numbers.