This post is about one of my 45-second pitches at my BNI Chapter, BNI City Business. You can read the introduction to this collection here.

11 August 2023. Another in the bad logo series, Another Lens. This week was a variation on the theme – a company name that tries too hard to be funny – or perhaps edgy – but fails to truly register. Once the joke is forgotten, has this furniture outlet been added to your list of potential suppliers?

I include this in my bad logos series because, in my opinion, it doesn’t work as an effective business name. This isn’t unintentionally funny (like the others in this series), but instead tries too hard.

The company name you choose – as well as the branding – can add to, or detract from the value of your business. We see this most often when a firm has extremely well executed branding with a perfect fit as their company name. We can readily see how these factors can add to the value of a business. And if something done well can add value, that same thing done poorly can reduce the value of a firm.

If I buy your company – even as an asset sale – and the first thing I need to do as a new owner is fix the branding, that’s a cost I am taking off the purchase price (at least conceptually).

We see this often when a firm is named after its founder, but I have also come across it where the name is an in-joke or otherwise esoteric reference to a fantasy or sci-fi novel. We can have fun with these names, but they may actually reduce the value of your company. Branding is a serious business. If you want to build a business that you can grow and eventually sell, get some branding expertise involved at the beginning.