Square, Block, and the Impact of Your Product Name

18/01/2022 30 min
Square, Block, and the Impact of Your Product Name

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Episode Synopsis

Changing a company or product name in a rebrand is a big decision. That's because renames are usually seen as a way to cement a changed identity. But what if we told you that names are only as valuable as what we build around them? We're exploring the concept through the recent Square-to-Block rename, and what to consider when putting a name to your own product.  Want to add your own take? Write a note or record a voice memo, and send it to [email protected] to join the conversation.  Follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter to see the latest in Better Product, a show part of the Better Product Community powered by Innovatemap. The community is the connection point for product leaders & practitioners to learn and share what it takes to design, build, market, and sell better products. Learn more at betterproduct.community.  Takeaways:  Names are significant, but what you build around them matters more.  It's the burden of brand & positioning to make a name mean something.  Big Tech names are trending towards generic words—but does that actually limit creativity for others?  Things To Listen For: [1:00] How Meghan & Christian got their own names  [2:30] A name change isn't just about a word; it's about an evolved identity [2:50] What really matters to a name is the strength of your brand & positioning  [3:00] Good names don't have to make sense, but they should be memorable... [4:00] …and what you do with your name usually matters more than the meaning [5:20] Introducing the Square story through a book, The Innovation Stack  [6:20] Why Square chose the new name Block [9:30] An established name should influence how you think about brand & product  [10:20] Why there's no "one way" to name your company  [11:00] It's the burden of brand & positioning to make names mean something  [11:15] Revisiting the Mailchimp & Surveymonkey rebrand  [14:00] Names don't always reflect the product—and that's OK  [15:00] Names tend to evolve with how they'll be used  [15:45] When it might be time for a company to consider a rename  [17:00] Understanding how names and renames can influence growth  [19:00] Are current trends in Big Tech names "land grabs"?