Names that Cut Through the Clutter

04/02/24 • 6 min

Mike Carr discusses the challenges of naming businesses in the digital age, emphasizing the importance of creating memorable names over generic, forgettable ones. He illustrates this with examples like Google and Amazon, contrasting them with less engaging names like Infoseek and Book Stop. Carr also highlights the significance of trust in naming, citing examples of successful strategies from companies such as Desert Glory and the Vitamin Shop, concluding that unique and memorable names are essential for success in today's noisy digital landscape.

Previous Episode

AI vs Creatives

Mike Carr discusses how AI, exemplified by ChatGPT and others, has surpassed human naming consultants in generating names by understanding nuances and storytelling templates. He introduces Rag (Retrieval Augmented Generation), an AI technology that scrapes the internet for current data to inform naming processes, ensuring modern and relevant outcomes. While acknowledging AI's potential to replace human jobs, particularly in customer service and radiology, Carr emphasizes the importance of human expertise in guiding AI processes. He sees AI as an opportunity for professionals to enhance their skills and provide better solutions to clients by combining domain expertise with AI capabilities. Carr concludes by stressing that AI amplifies skills but doesn't democratize them, underlining the continued need for human connection and expertise in leveraging AI effectively.

Next Episode

Who is your Personal Brand Name for?

In this transcript, Mike Carr discusses the single biggest problem with personal brand names. He emphasizes that personal brand names should be focused on the audience and the value they receive, rather than being solely about the individual. Carr gives examples of celebrities like Selena Gomez, KSI, Tony Robbins, and Richard Branson who prioritize delivering value to their followers and customers. He also mentions Elon Musk as an exception, as his success and innovation initially overshadowed any negative aspects of his personal brand. Carr advises individuals to consider what they are delivering to their audience and how to align their personal interests and passions with providing benefits to their followers and customers.

Naming in an AI Age - Names that Cut Through the Clutter

Transcript

Mike Carr (00:01):

Today I wanted to talk about the explosion of names that's occurring in the last few years. So back in 2022, the World Bank said there were 150 million new businesses registered globally, 150 million. And of course, the number of new products and the number of new ser