I often get asked if naming workshops are a good idea. I think they are a great idea, if the following sorts of things are afoot:
People internally want to be part of the creative process and the naming workshop will plant a useful internal engagement seed.
Numerous rounds of naming have been and gone – so why not open the floor up? From graphic designers to influencers to No Logo types. Designers are great in naming workshops, because they instinctively visualise the sentiment a brand is trying to create. Ultimately, everyone kind of likes to play with language. Over a free beer.
There’s an opportunity to manage expectations pre-workshop, more for naming decision-makers who can’t be there. Along the lines of not ‘the name’, but ‘lots of fertile names’.
There are options of course. Internal agency workshop, workshop with client, workshop with target consumers, workshop with random wordsmiths.
I’ve known a fully crafted answer drop out of a naming workshop in its final trade-markable form once and that was Hob-Nobs. So when discussing the potential of a workshop, it’s worth outlining the options. Workshop only, workshop + a half day’s naming refinement, full naming creative ‘head’ on the job with the workshop as a bolt on are a few.
And there aren’t that many rules. Not a full day, because most sensible people aren’t used to creating names for hours and hours. No time-sapping deviations in to the brand positioning or architecture (the briefs come in to naming workshops as the strategic and creative naming briefs). No negative evaluation in the room and no trade mark reality just for now. And a hot facilitator helps (in a professional sense).
