Michael Pitzer
5532 N. Colonial Ave.
Fresno, CA 93704
The Pitzer Art, Copy & Design Naming Process has been used to help develop sustainable "Naming Architectures" for companies and product lines in the storage category for the past 10 years.
These companies and products have included work for; ClickArray, HP, Intransa, Meridian Data, Network Appliance, SyQuest, TEAC Data Storage and the actual name development and change of Tera Central to Swarm Networks, Zforce to Attune Systems, as well as product name development for every division and new product introduction at Seagate from the beginning of 2006 through early 2007.
In each case, and for each client, the following process has been utilized to produce a successful name and logo. This process, also helped to generated a naming architecture for internal development of products and service names as well as expediting the trademark and registration of the developed name and to springboard the design process.
You will never have success in naming any product or company, if the key decision makers are not an active part of the process and understand the evolution of the name, how it relates to their company, and contribute toward the development of that name. If they do not participate, what will be developed will be looked at as just being "a word" that can be dismissed as quickly and easily as it can be read out loud.
Now, before you read about the process steps, please note that if it's not possible to do Step 1 of Phase 1 with your key people, Pitzer Art, Copy & Design will have to withdraw from the naming assignment consideration.
1. Input Session which consists of a 3 hour, off-site, no cell phones, Blackberries or computer contact with the outside world! Hosted by Pitzer Art, Copy & Design at a local retreat. This is considered the 1st generation naming session and must include key client personnel
2. Naming Plan begins with Competitive research (Identify top-level competitors and existing naming structures) followed by a Competitive graphic research (Visual reconnaissance of existing designs, logos, color schemes)
3. Extended Naming Session (External Pitzer Art, Copy & Design) Is to organize generated selections into Preliminary availability search, followed by Developed graphic suggestions
4. The Good. The Bad. The Ugly. This is our external meeting with the client when we walk through organized content and graphic possibilities and/or enhancements. During this meeting we will discuss everything including design modifications & the development a short-list of name directions and establish the basis for the client's "Naming Architecture".
5. Comprehensive Searches & Market Research Evaluation will be done on the name direction to discover wether any of the names or design directions are currently or have previously been used by other companies. And if so, what industries or products where the names associated with.
6. Final Name Decision, Legal risk, Evaluation, Beging trademark process begins as one step ends. This process allows us to look at what the client is interested in pursuing vs researching everything and anything.
7. Begin Graphic Recommendations & Refinements
This is a Naming Process I developed while working in Silicon Valley for naming high-tech devices, software and companies.
Pitzer Art, Copy & Design
Year: 2004