Branding
Developing your own product name – what really happens
Using the story of Dr. Anja Geisler, this blog post illustrates why product naming is never just a creative task. The example of the toothpaste brand Beit clearly shows how quickly naming processes can fail due to subjectivity, a lack of brand research, or insufficient long-term planning. The post explains why strategic criteria, protectability, and long-term brand thinking are crucial, and why many companies only realize the true complexity of naming during the process itself.
Naming strategy: Why a name alone isn’t enough.
Using Kermi as an example, this blog post explains why successful product names never develop in isolation. Instead of individual names, a technological idea and clear positioning led to the development of a consistent naming system with a strategic function. The post illustrates how naming architecture provides direction, supports market entry, and enables long-term brand development.
The Darco Naming-Story
This podcast episode featuring Christina Bastl and Matthias Hain demonstrates how a traditional, function-driven briefing can evolve into a strong brand name. The article explains why technical product lists rarely result in strong name and how shifting the focus toward emotion, association, and impact makes all the difference. Using Movilo as an example, it becomes clear how naming processes are structured, validated, and successfully transformed into a standalone product brand.
Rebranding: The atares naming story
The podcast episode by Christina Bastl and Jan Pörschmann tells the naming story of atares as part of a clear rebranding. The blog shows how complex and multidimensional a professional naming process is. A name change is not just a creative act, but a business-critical step with long-term brand impact.
Register, monitor, and protect trademarks
Trademark registration and trademark monitoring are essential elements in the naming process. They create the legal foundation for protecting brand names, logos, and other identifiers in the long term. These steps are therefore particularly critical for international B2B companies in order to avoid legal risks and expensive disputes.
What companies should know about trademark law
Trademark law plays an important role in the development of brand names. It provides the legal basis for the exclusive use of names, logos, and other identifiers and protects them against imitation. Addressing trademark law requirements at an early stage is important for international B2B companies in order to avoid conflicts and adjustments later on.
Conflict research & trademark classification in naming
As a naming agency, we support international B2B companies in developing names. Early integration of conflict research and brand classification into the naming process is essential. Detailed identity and similarity research can help to avoid costs associated with renaming, delays, and legal disputes.
Transcription and transliteration in naming
What happens to a brand name when it switches to a different writing system? With the latin alphabet, a lot of things come easily to us. But as soon as a name needs to be converted into a different writing system, for example into Chinese, there are three different approaches: transliteration, transcription and semantic neologism. Christina Bastl explains the differences, highlights typical pitfalls and reveals why INCREON established its own team in Shanghai back in 2006.
Naming workshop
A naming workshop is not a creative brainstorming session. It is the moment when a naming project takes shape: strategic guidelines, a shared framework, and an approved requirements profile.
Naming for companies and products
Company names and product names are created through the same process, but they have completely different requirements. A company name must represent an entire business across decades and markets. A product name can be more specific, more focused, and more closely related to the product's benefits.
Why brand architecture influences brand naming
Brand architecture defines the framework for naming. It determines whether names stand alone or are systematically linked, and it creates clarity and recognition across the portfolio. Without a clear structure, there are no benchmarks for evaluation – with one, naming becomes strategic, scalable and brand-building. How the right brand architecture leads you to clear, effective names.
The change story as the foundation of successful transformation
Today's companies are under constant pressure to change. These transformation processes often fail due to a lack of acceptance, trust, or unclear goals. In international B2B companies in particular, a strategically developed and consistently implemented change story ensures that transformations are successfully implemented, trust is built, and long-term identification with the company is strengthened.
Onboarding is the key to trust, motivation, and loyalty in international B2B companies
Onboarding influences how quickly new employees build trust, whether they start with motivation, and if they stay in the company in the long run. Especially in international B2B companies, structured onboarding is important for integrating talents efficiently and creating a positive experience from the beginning.
Strategic recruiting in changing labor markets
The job market is changing rapidly, and along with it, the demands of successful recruiting. Rising expectations among employees and a high willingness to change jobs are fundamentally changing the conditions for successful recruiting. International B2B companies are faced with the task of positioning themselves authentically as employers, building trust, and clearly differentiating themselves from the competition.
Virtual communication in B2B isn’t just about content. It’s about building a decision-making framework.
Virtual communication is now a central component of modern B2B communication. It enables companies to collaborate efficiently across geographical boundaries and opens up new opportunities for digital interaction. Formats such as video conferences, webinars, and virtual showrooms facilitate coordination, product presentations, and international collaboration. At the same time, innovative technologies such as 3D visualizations, augmented reality, and virtual reality are creating new ways to present complex products in a clear and engaging manner.
Brand Implementation in B2B: Why a strategy without implementation will fail
A well-structured brand implementation is a key success factor for B2B companies. Only through the consistent application of the brand across processes, systems, and employee behavior does a brand truly make an impact in the market. Modern brand implementation integrates infrastructure, governance, and enablement, creating a foundation for consistent communication, a strong customer experience, and effective employer branding.
How Digital Communication Really Works Today
Today, digital B2B communication is essential for reaching potential customers early in the decision-making process. Companies must be present where their target audience searches for information on websites, in search engines, or on platforms like LinkedIn. High-quality content and a well-thought-out communication strategy across multiple channels create visibility, strengthen brand positioning, and help to develop long-term customer relationships.
Why classic B2B communication needs to be redefined
Strategically focused classic communication is a key success factor for international B2B companies. Even in the age of digital channels, it remains an essential part of integrated brand communication. It builds trust and supports complex decision-making processes.
Employer Value Proposition: The Key to Being an Attractive Employer
A strong employer value proposition is essential for attracting and retaining skilled employees. It provides a clear competitive advantage, especially in international B2B markets. It demonstrates what a company stands for as an employer and what additional values it offers its employees. A convincing and unique employer value proposition is essential for establishing a positive employer image.
Employer benefits: winning and maintaining talents in your company
Strategically planned employer benefits make employers more attractive. They increase motivation, loyalty, and well-being among employees. In addition, benefits enable companies to differentiate themselves in the competition for talents. This is particularly important in international B2B markets.
