Comments on: What’s In A Name? Ask momspit!

By: Carnival of Family Life: Now Showing at a Blog Near You « All Rileyed Up

Carnival of Family Life: Now Showing at a Blog Near You « All Rileyed Up — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 16:00:16 +0000

[...] white presents What’s In A Name? Ask momspit! posted at The Branding Blog ByBrand Identity [...]

By: Jennifer Warwick

Jennifer Warwick — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 23:08:55 +0000

Lucie – Congrats on your success. There are a gazillion consumers out there, and I’m glad for you so many of them agreed with Scott and not with me.

By: Lucie Hunter

Lucie Hunter — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 17:03:10 +0000

email me. Lucie

By: admin

admin — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 02:28:00 +0000

Hi Lucie and welcome.

Here’s a thought:

You (IMHO) have a great name. But your packaging and website are not playful at all and don’t leverage that great name. I would suggest you hire a great branding agency

508-238-4347 (I hear they’re great)!

By: Lucie Hunter

Lucie Hunter — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 02:10:31 +0000

Thank you for all your comments! Jennifer, this is a product that our customers are keeping in their diaper bag, purse, minivan. I’ve had guys tell me they use it after they pump gas. We did go after the mom market knowing that nothing was readily available to clean a kid’s face when there isn’t a sink in site. We knew the name was a gamble, but we also knew it would get noticed. It’s being noticed! One major publication is putting it in their January issue (coming out mid December) under “Hot New Product List”. We’re excited at the opportunity. Scott, thank you for your compliments and constructive criticism. Very much appreciated.
Lucie Hunter
Chief Executive Mom/Co-Founder

By: admin

admin — Mon, 12 Nov 2007 04:30:22 +0000

Yea, I often get out voted!

By: Jennifer Warwick

Jennifer Warwick — Mon, 12 Nov 2007 04:28:30 +0000

I only ran the name by my friends as an exercise for this group, Scott – I would not have otherwise, because my reaction was “yuk.” It definitely was not an evangelist move.

The only way the name might have worked for me is possibly if it was an antibacterial thing that you’d keep in your glove compartment, diaper bag, purse or minivan to keep kids clean, instead of using actual “mom spit.”

Judging by the comments, it looks like you may have been outvoted this time around…!

By: admin

admin — Mon, 12 Nov 2007 01:41:58 +0000

Well it generated a response right…

By: Riley

Riley — Mon, 12 Nov 2007 01:28:09 +0000

Well, the name made me laugh at any rate…

By: admin

admin — Sat, 10 Nov 2007 16:34:53 +0000

Yes, but if the product were called “Clean Face” would you have run the name by your friends? Or just forgot about it very quickly? I think their strategy is to have a small group of evangelists that grow into a big group of evangelist.

But that’s just my humble opinion….

Thanks for your comment, come back again!

By: Jennifer Warwick

Jennifer Warwick — Sat, 10 Nov 2007 16:00:33 +0000

I don’t have kids, so my first reaction on hearing the name was “I’m not their demographic.” I thought it was a parenting product.

My second reaction is “yuck.” It’s clever, but I wouldn’t put it on my face. I ran it by some friends and their reaction was the same: funny, but don’t put it on my face!

If their strategy is to be part of the long tail, and have a very small but possibly devoted group of customers, I guess they’re on the right track…I just don’t know anyone who would be in that group.

By: admin

admin — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 15:12:19 +0000

Well delivering on the product is a must so you are correct. As long as they can deliver on their promise they should stand apart.

Thanks for the comment Dave!

By: Dave G

Dave G — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 14:46:59 +0000

While the name is a little different, if it sparks some interest and drives some traffic to thier door, mission accomplished. From a true branding perspective, not sure how it will sustain the company. My thought is that they will have to continue to work at the uniqeness of thier name, and hope consumers will continue to come out of pure interest.

By: admin

admin — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 17:29:59 +0000

The majority is the problem. Company's try to be everthing to everyone (the problem). This brand won't but they'll have a strong brand following with evangelists. I'd rather have committed customers than passerbys.

Only time will tell but a company must realize that they need to draw their line in the sand and be different. Once they get over the fact they don't serve everyone they'll enjoy true branding success.

Thanks for the great comments!

By: Jeremy H

Jeremy H — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 17:24:25 +0000

Hmm, I don’t think I said it didn’t work, I merely pointed out that you said “some will think the name is gross”. My point was, if the name is perceived by the majority as “gross” then they do in fact have a problem.

By: admin

admin — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 17:07:41 +0000

I can’t disagree more. There are many names that could mean negative things but pull out differentiation:

Virgin Airlines (who wants to be the first on an airline)
Catapiller (can be squashed easily)
Yahoo (do you want to be known as a Yahoo)

This name is evocative and that’s what counts. Too many people take the easy conservative road and up blending in…not momspit!

By: Jeremy H

Jeremy H — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 16:44:44 +0000

Setting aside the thoughts on whether the name is creative or not, I wonder what the likeliness of such a name appealing to the masses is. Sure it’s creative, yes I see what they’re trying to do, but if the name scares people away, you’ve got a problem.