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The Word
Thoughts and news. All about the language of brands.
FEATURED POST
When Your Portfolio Sounds Like Internal Code Names
It starts innocently enough. Someone on your team says, "We're rolling it into Orion next quarter."...
By Jill Stanewick
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Brand Architecture
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Naming Systems
January 30th, 2026
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When You Keep the Acquired Name... and Pay for It Forever
Keeping the acquired name usually feels like the right decision—at least in the moment.It protects revenue, keeps...
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January 29th, 2026
Why AI Stinks at Brand Naming - Not a Rant
AI does many things well. Naming brands is not one of them.We’ve tried it. A lot. And we’ve worked with countless...
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Is This a Platform—or a Collection of Acquisitions?
You can feel the question forming before anyone asks it.It happens when the portfolio slide comes up, when the...
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When Everyone Has an Opinion—and None of Them Agree
This is the part of the naming process no one prepares you for. Not the creativity, not the pressure, but the moment...
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When Naming Becomes a Board-Level Conversation
You can feel the shift before anyone says it out loud. The questions get tighter. The room gets quieter. The deck...
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January 26th, 2026
How Naming Portfolio Confusion Becomes Sales Friction
At first, it looks like a sales problem.Deals slow down. Calls run long. Prospects ask the same clarifying questions...
By Jill Stanewick
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Naming
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January 24th, 2026
Why "Just One More Round" Rarely Changes the Outcome
You don't say it because you're indecisive. You say it because you're responsible."Let's...
By Jill Stanewick
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Naming
January 23rd, 2026
The Naming Architecture Test: Can This System Handle 10 More Products?
You don't feel the problem when you have three products. You feel it with growth, when the roadmap gets real,...
By Tanj Staff
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Naming Systems
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Brand Architecture
January 23rd, 2026
The Difference Between a Risky Name and an Indefensible One
You're not trying to eliminate risk—you know that's impossible. What you're really trying to...
By Jill Stanewick
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Naming
January 22nd, 2026
The Day Your Portfolio Stops Making Sense to Anyone Outside the Company
It doesn't happen all at once.There's no dramatic meeting where someone announces, "We've lost...
By Jill Stanewick
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Naming
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Naming Systems
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Brand Architecture
January 21st, 2026
Why More Naming Options Rarely Make the Decision Easier
At first, more options feel like progress. The list is growing, people are engaged, and no one can say you...
By Jill Stanewick
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Naming
January 20th, 2026
When Naming Inconsistency Starts Showing Up on the Balance Sheet
At first, it didn't feel like a problem. Each acquisition made sense on its own. Each product kept the name it...
By Jill Stanewick
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Naming
January 19th, 2026
Sixty Days Out—and the Name Still Isn't Settled
You're not behind. But you're not comfortable either.The launch date is real now. The roadmap is locked....
By Jill Stanewick
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Naming
January 15th, 2026
CES 2026 Musings: Best Product Names
I like lots of different styles of names, I promise, but all of my favorites from CES this year are short, suggestive...
By Jill Stanewick
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Naming
January 14th, 2026
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What Boards Actually Worry About When You Name Something New
No one on the board is arguing about syllables. They're not debating whether it "sounds modern...
By Jill Stanewick
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Naming
January 13th, 2026
CES 2026 Musings: New Products from Petkit
I wrote previously about AI Tails — a pet tech brand with a name I think is a winner (though I question the product’s...
By Jill Stanewick
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Naming
January 12th, 2026
How Naming Becomes the Proxy Fight for Bigger Strategic Tension
This meeting was supposed to be about a name. But five minutes in, you can tell—it's not.Someone's arguing...
By Jill Stanewick
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Naming
January 11th, 2026
Afeela Disappointment
Guys, I have to tell you: I don’t Afeela great about the name for Sony Honda Mobility’s new EV line. While the name...
By Jill Stanewick
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Naming Hot Takes
January 11th, 2026
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