Naming Tip: Number 61 in a series

When tacking and fusing coined brand names, be sure they join in a “natural” way.

First, explanations of tacking and fusing. Tacking occurs when you add a new syllable, either suffix or prefix, to an existing word to create a new word. I’ve used this technique very successfully – Profitology and Ideatrics are examples. Fusing takes two existing words and “fuses” them together as I did with Wow and Power to create “Wower” Tools.

But these tactics only work well if the new words are easily pronounceable and easy to spell. If you stumble over them when saying the word, or need to pause when they occur in a sentence you’re reading, they just won’t resonate with people.

An example, by a guy who should know better, is the book title, Brandscendence, a fusion of “brands” and “transcendence”. The author, Kevin A. Clark, even trademarked the name. But it’s too long for a single word, it’s awkward where brand(s) and “scendence” meet. There are four consonants in a row that usually don’t appear together. I’ve owned the book for a couple of years and still have to stop and go through a little mental exercise to get that name pronounced correctly.

You shouldn’t have to do that with a brand name.

So when you fuse or tack, be sure the new word follows common grammatical alignment.

PS, it’s a fine book. I recommend it.

Martin Jelsema