1. According to Keller (185), creating brand associations begins with choosing a brand name that suggests the product or service category. Choosing a simple, easy to pronounce, familiar, and meaningful brand name can improve recall ability. However, brand names should be distinctive, different and sufficiently unusual to attract interest. Brand names must have the ability to reinforce an important attribute or benefit association that makes up its product positioning.
A descriptive brand name -- whether real or created expressly for a specific brand -- should make it easier to link the reinforced attribute or benefit. Phonetic devices, orthographic devices, morphologic devices, and semantic devices are all used to create these associations. Keller (189) says that one first defines the branding objectives and then generates as many names and concepts as possible, finally screening out those names that are inappropriate or unavailable.
2. One particularly effective brand association is that of Weight Watchers. Keller (188) says that this brand name uses the phonetic device of consonant repetition with intervening vowel changes to immediately capture attention. In addition, Weight Watchers immediately identifies the goals and objectives of the brand with its key characteristics. The brand offers assistance to overweight individuals who want to "watch" their "weight" disappear as a consequence of their dieting.
As Keller (186) notes, this descriptive brand name is also suggestive. This links its reinforced attribute or benefit (i.e., weight loss and watching one's weight) to the brand itself. This name has proven to be highly effective in attracting weight conscious dieters to an entire range of products and services. Weight Watchers is a distinct and unique brand whose name conveys all important or key attributes to the consumer.
3. Brand associations can in fact be measured. One important way of measuring b...