What's In A Name? Plenty, Experts Say
Journal & Courier (press release) - January 24, 2012 – We all know why Twin City Dodge, Steak 'n Shake and Catering by Debbie carry the names they do.
But what about other businesses? The ones that aren't named for their location, what they serve or their owners?
"We often get asked about our name and why our agency is called Stormfront Productions. It actually started simply enough with a personal portfolio website I put together in 2003," said Rob Theodorow, founder and chief executive officer of the online media marketing company in downtown Lafayette.
Theodorow wanted a theme that would stand out from the other Web design companies at the time and thought of his childhood love of watching approaching storms.
"Flash was a hot technology at the time, so I thought it would be cool to give the user more of an interactive Web experience with motion graphics such as lightning, wind and rolling clouds combined with audio tracks of thunder, wind chimes and tornado sirens."
Richard Hines, vice president of Indiana Design Consortium Inc., a branding and business development firm in Lafayette, deals on a daily basis with companies around the country.
He said the importance of picking a proper name for a business can't be overlooked.
"Seems like the act of picking a great name is evidence that the business owner 'gets it' when it comes to marketing -- and probably 'gets' the other aspects of the marketing function correctly, too, hence the success of the business," Hines said.
"Bottom line is that, typically, naming a business is one of the most important marketing decisions an owner ever makes. It shapes the future of the business and can point the way to growth or limit expansion possibilities."
The owners of Eight38 Sign Co. in Lafayette found inspiration from the Holy Bible when choosing a name for their nearly 2-year-old company.
"When Jarred Mathis and I decided to start a business, we were committed to serving the Greater Lafayette area with the kind of honesty, diligence and generosity that marked the life of Jesus Christ," said company co-founder Kyle Burke. "We wanted to name the company in honor of something that would keep our faith at the forefront of our minds.
"We considered names like Heritage Signs and Artisan Signs, but decided to keep it simple and name the business in honor of Mark 8:38, a Bible verse that reminds us to live and work boldly and confidently for Jesus."
A business venture that never got off the ground provided the background story for K. Dees Coffee & Roasting Co., which has a shop in downtown Lafayette and sells coffee on the Internet under the name Killer Beans.
"It was about 15 years ago -- my attorney and I in Chicago. The K is my last name. His last name is DeMuth. And with his two sons, those are the Ds," said K. Dees owner Jerry Kalal. "The space was pretty cool. It was a crazy 12-by-94-foot space. Across the street was a parking lot and behind the building was a Metra train station."
Before it could be remodeled into a coffee shop, the interior of the Chicago building was demolished. Kalal later brought his dreams, and business name, to Lafayette.
"Moving here, I knew I couldn't call the place Killer Beans Coffee," he said. "It would have scared off the moms with the strollers."
Hines at IDC said there are local examples of location-oriented business names that may have ended up being a mistake.
"Union Street Auto Sales -- last I heard they moved to Indiana 25 South. But where are they now?" he said. "Remember Five-Point Bargains. It just did not seem the same after they moved to Union Street.
"But then, the Downtowner Restaurant is doing fine in Market Square. So go figure."
With its lightning, thunder, sirens and chimes awakening the senses, the Stormfront Productions website received a lot of attention and won some awards early on. And that cemented the company's name.
"I feel we have developed a memorable brand and hope customers will remember us for being a little different from the crowd," Theodorow said. "Our goal is to provide a unique Web experience for people looking for online media services.
"The most interesting fact about our name is that when it storms in Lafayette, we receive a greater number of local calls and emails. This may just be a coincidence, or it may be free advertising."
Source: Journal & Courier, Lafayette, IN
Written by: Max Showalter
Photo Credit: Michael Heinz
