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A Naming Firm Misfires on Own Brand Image

January 18, 2007 | Tate Linden
Perhaps I'm missing something - but I don't understand why "America's #1 Name-Branding firm" would:
  1. Post their commercial on YouTube
  2. Not invest at least enough money in their commercial (and soundtrack!) that it seemed professional. (It sort of looks a cut below the stuff you see on cable television after midnight. And given that their own firm does video production it calls into question their abilities.)
  3. Open and close the video with something that appears to be a velvet painting of a tiger.
  4. Have the following text flow across their home page - all in one line.
Edon is America's first unconventional advertising, marketing services, PR communications, Web design, consumer research, and move film and DVD production agency store that offers realistic and affordable fees and where you the customer manage the project's budget, and not the ad agency. And we're the only ad agency in New York that provides its customers with a barter club membership, and PC computer services and convenient walk-in stores with PC terminals to get instant access to the Internet. Now is your ad agency offering you all of this?
Okay...

After you read this sentence, stop, close your eyes and try to remember what it is that Edon actually does.

I personally didn't do very well. And for the record, if my hypothetical advertising agency offered me walk-up Internet access, barter club membership, walk-in stores, and PC computer services I'd have to wonder why they were investing their earnings so poorly.

Who do you know that wants to go to their advertising agency to search the internet and get their computer fixed? (It kind of make me wonder if Stokefire's business would improve if we offered to mow lawns or make mix tapes for our clients.)

I'm not arguing about the quality of most of the names the company has developed - many are exceptionally good (though Glucerna was not a winner with me.) I guess I'm just surprised that a company so invested in creating a good first impression for their clients would do so poorly with their own.

In

Comments (3)
3 Comments
michael January 19, 2007 1:19 PM

Also note in their "About Us" section, "they" didn't create any of the names except by association with the company that actually did. Truth in advertising!

Karl S. January 19, 2007 1:33 PM

That is one of the funniest communications firm descriptions I've read ina whle. I love the idea of being the first 'unconventional' firm, but if they were really unconventional, they should'nvt hve to wirte a descriptor like that.

The second half, the part of the barter club, is just ridiculous. It's a markeing ploy and not a very good one.

Good luck to them.

Tate Linden January 19, 2007 3:11 PM

Glad I could share the fun.
Michael - I really had a hard time figuring out whether that naming company was a distinct entity... their web address takes you to Edon.
Karl - Agreed... it isn't a brand, it's marketing... or something. I've had clients that come to us with a list of two-dozen things that they can do. The very first thing we do is figure out which 23 items aren't what they do best. I've yet to see any of our clients offer barter services... so at least in that respect these folks are unique.
I know Stokefire's image could use a brush-up (and in fact our printed materials are getting one in about a month) but I'm hoping others don't get the impression of us that I'm getting of these folks.