By now, it shouldn’t surprise you that the world is filled with millions of businesses. The Kauffman Index estimates that 543,000 new businesses are started monthly. This goes to show that by the end of the year, over 6.5 million businesses would’ve joined the 200 million businesses already in existence.

Thanks to this influx, your business’s ability to attract the attention of customers—an extremely valuable asset—is now, more than ever, hanging by a thread. And if you don’t give it the attention it deserves, your business would lose the interest of its existing customers, and also the ability to attract new ones.

So, how do you go about creating a brand that’d attract customers? One of the easiest ways is by getting a great brand name, to be specific, a great visual brand name.

Visual brand names are excellent at reducing the time it takes customers to identify and relate with your business by giving your brand a unique visual identity in a crowded market.

With visual brand names, it’s easier for customers to understand your brand’s story and motivation, because visual names reveal the possibilities your business can deliver.

Red Bull’s Visually Active Brand 

In the ’80s, Red Bull introduced a new product category into the market, and quickly rose to prominence. But this didn’t just happen because it had an aggressive marketing strategy but also because its brand name was exciting, and visually communicated the brand’s core message, ‘… giving wings’.

Today, the success of Red Bull’s visual brand and superb marketing can be felt across the world. Over 80 billion cans have been sold since it started operation in 1987. In 2019 alone; the brand sold 7.5 billion cans, that’s almost a can of Red Bull for every person in the world.

Why Visual Brand Names?

Take a long look at any entrepreneur ready to set up shop after creating an exciting business, and chances are you’d find immense enthusiasm and unquenchable zeal.

But even though these positive emotions are great for business—the sad reality is—customers, who’ve never tried your business, cannot appreciate your positive energy, let alone your awesome product.

And this is where visual brand names come to the rescue. Visual brand names work by creating a clear picture that helps the imagination of your prospective customers.

Visual names rely on impressions of physical things and objects, and links them to your business in such a smooth way that there’s almost no need for a logo.  

Great Examples of Visual Brand Names

The beauty of visual brand names lies in the fact that they rely on creating an impression by connecting your business to things in the real world. And a lot of businesses have profited from them.

And just in case you’re starting a business, and need great business name ideas that’d inspire you to craft amazing visual names to paint your brand in brilliant colors, then take a look at this expert-curated list and get inspired.

• Lion Bird
• Blue Cabin
• OpenDoor
• Ice Mountain
• LimeBike
• The Three Squirrels
• Mountain Dew
• Dunkin Donuts
• Iron Flame
• Taco Bell
• Honey Bunches of Oats

Look Out!

When coming up with a visual brand name for your business, make sure whatever name you chose represents your business in the best possible light, and leaves an appealing image in the minds of your customers.

Similar, But Not the Same

Even though visual names are very similar to descriptive and metaphorical names, they aren’t the same.

Metaphorical names like Amazon, Nest, and Oracle do an outstanding job of relating these businesses to the ideas the words communicate.

Descriptive names, on the flip side, explain what the company does. Names like Wechat, WeWorks, and The Guild of Food Writers are great examples.

Now, although visual names borrow some elements of descriptive and metaphorical names, the key difference lies in its intent. The key goal of visual brand names is to create vivid images of a brand in the minds of the customer.

Remember

Visual brand names are excellent ways to stimulate imagination, but its effectiveness is limited without the complementing efforts of other visual elements like a brand’s logo, colors, and typography.

Visual brand names are all about perception, so make sure your brand’s marketing is focused on building your brand and establishing its name.