Laurel Sutton/Catchword featured on 99% Invisible Ep. 109
I was lucky enough to be interviewed for one of my favorite podcasts, 99% Invisible. We chatted about naming and branding and all kinds of things. The episode was called, …
Coca Cola, Chek Cola, or Rally Cola?: Laurel Sutton’s store brand naming article
This post originally appeared at Catch This. I was delighted that I was asked to contribute a paper to the volume entitled “Onomastics in Contemporary Public Space“. It gave me …
Illuminating your library: Kindle MatchBook name review
This post originally appeared at Catch This. What do you need to kindle a fire? Why, a matchbook, of course. See what I did there? I worked in three different …
Crowdsourcing Product Names Results In A Bunch Of Terrible Product Names
This post originally appeared in Fast Company. From Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer’s baby to Sony’s pink speaker balls to exoplanets, crowdsourcing for names is all the rage. There’s strength in numbers, …
Alliteration: Artistic and Appealing
This post originally appeared at Catch This. We’re often asked how we create our names. Our answer is that naming is both an art and a science – the art …
Trump And Trademarks: The Case For Extravagance
This post originally appeared in Fast Company. This week it was revealed that Donald Trump has filed more than 200 trademark applications that contain his own name. The 200-plus number is …
Magic bracelets, Marvel Avengers Edition
This post originally appeared at the Duets Blog. Being a Make Mine Marvel type, I am of course very excited to see the Avengers movie, which will feature all of …
Taco Bell’s Genius Product-Naming Formula
This post originally appeared in Fast Company. Let me start by saying that I love Taco Bell. I realize that it is not actual Tex-Mex food, but a corporate version …
Q Who?: Qnexa Product Name Review
This post originally appeared at Catch This. Much like death and taxes, diet drugs will always be with us, from the low-tech caffeine overdose of Dexatrim to the now-banned prescription …
Why The Lorax/Mazda Ads Are So Insulting
This post originally appeared in Fast Company. McDonald’s gives away toys based on movie figures. Characters in TV shows use products with the brands prominently displayed. Athletes wear clothing emblazoned …