July 10, 2003
SMART ANSWERS
Q: We are a very small meat processor serving local farmers and
rangers since 1929. We are expanding into a retail operation selling high-quality
steaks and have named our operation "Brush Steaks" after the city where
we are located. My question: We had students from a university marketing
class study us, and they recommended that we change our name. Their argument
was that nobody knows our town and the words "brush" and "steaks" have
no real meaning together. Personally, I think our name is different, not
generic, and I believe it connects us to our smalltown roots. What do
your experts think? -- A.K., Brush, Colo.
A: First, congratulations on being resourceful enough to bring
in university students and have them critique your operation. There's
nothing wrong with getting an impartial, outsider's opinion -- and having
young people deliver it for free is a terrific idea. However, you certainly
aren't obligated to implement all the recommendations you got from the
university. Those coming from academia sometimes lack the sort of real-world
experience that can transform a theoretical concept into a practical recommendation.
The name of your company is important and changing it is a big deal, so
getting additional opinions is a great idea.
Here's how our branding experts weighed in after chewing over your current
business name:
"Using the name 'Brush Steaks' could be a great foundation for branding
and you could paint a whole story around it," says Sharon Berman, of Berbay
Corp. "I'd build on the small-town theme, paint a whole picture: 'What
is a Brush Steak?' -- and then tell the tale of the family history and
the small town. You could do some great stuff. 'Brush' is different, and
has a reason for being different. Brush Steak really lends itself to becoming
well-known for a flavorful steak." WELL DONE! Laura
DuDell, of DuDell &
Associates, agrees. "I like your name," she says. "Brush makes me
think of the real West, and 'steaks' conjures up visual images from "stake
in the ground" to "claim your stake." It's a Western theme that, applied
effectively with a well-designed logo, tagline, or visual image, would
clearly define your product. A brand identity is more than a name, it's
an image that captures the intangibles about the business and product.
I'm already thinking of a thick juicy steak!"
Eric Swartz, owner/principal of The
Byline Group confirms the Western cattle lore surrounding the town
of Brush and its founder, cattle pioneer Jared L. Brush. "The name also
has metaphorical appeal," Swartz notes. "Brush connotes 'sparsely settled
country,' i.e., the Old West, with images of cattle drives, ranches, cowpokes,
Westerns, etc. Beef was a form of currency way back then. It was a way
of life." Using Brush as a metaphor for a bygone era also lends the company
credibility, he says. "Who knows steaks better than Brush? It's like Boston
Baked Beans or San Francisco Sourdough!" Match up the name with a memorable
logo and tagline (see his
article for more info). Swartz's conclusion: You've got a winner.
Jay Jurisich, the creative director of Igor
is not so enamored. "Brush Steaks is a little different -- it's not 'Colorado
Meat Processing' at least, but the name could be doing much more," he
says. "Specifically, it has several problems, not the least of which is
that nobody outside of the 5,117 residents of Brush, Colo. is likely to
connect the name to the idea of 'smalltown roots.' Another problem is
the appendage 'steaks.' Contrary to what the marketing class reported,
this pairing of words does have a real meaning. However, it's not terribly
great. It implies a different kind of 'brush,' that of wild lands dense
with bushes or shrubs, so that `Brush Steaks' conjures up euphemistic
images of grass-fed wallaby meat, grilled flying squirrel, or jackrabbit
filet. It might as well be 'Bush Steaks.'"
HARD TO SWALLOW. His colleague, Igor Managing Director
Steve Manning, agrees that while Brush connotes a sense of locality, it
doesn't do so on a national level like the name "Omaha Steaks" does. "You
would first have to try and get people to understand that Brush is a small
Western town, where a name like Jackson Hole communicates 'Western town"
without spending a cent. Even with a huge marketing budget, it makes little
sense to try and position your brand in a similar way and take on the
titans. The opportunity here is to position yourself in a fresh way that
awakens a customer base that has grown bored with hearing the same talk
from everyone in the industry year after year. Tombstone Pizza and the
tagline 'What Do You Want On Your Tombstone?' is an example of the power
of breaking out of standard naming-and-messaging conventions. The whole
point of marketing is to stand out from the crowd and be embraced by your
audience."
He also points out that "Brush steaks" is a common term found in recipes,
as in "brush steaks lightly with butter before grilling." Adds Manning:
"Anyone searching online to place an order with you will have to wade
through scores of irrelevant results."
http://www.businessweek.com/smallbiz/content/jul2003/sb20030710_3330.htm
Further reading:
Arizona Republic – Light rail needs name with spark |