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Deciphering The Indecipherable — The Dictionary of Branding
Welcome to the Scarcliff | Salvador Dictionary of Branding, the
most comprehensive glossary of branding and naming on the Web. Our
goal is to produce and maintain an up-to-date record of the terms
of art in use in our field, including the latest branding concepts,
naming styles and techniques, tagline types, and commercially-useful
linguistics terms.
Each entry is cross-referenced if appropriate and includes examples
from the marketplace wherever possible. Please contact us with your
suggested additions and corrections.
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Semantics (linguistics, verbal branding)
The study of meaning in language, including the relationship between
language, thought, and behavior.
Service Brand (branding, marketing)
Any brand associated with a service or family of services.
Shibboleth (linguistics, brand name research)
Any brand name whose native pronunciation is difficult for a non-native
speaker.
Simile (linguistics, tagline development)
A figure of speech in which an explicit comparison is made between
two unlike objects via a construction such as like, as, than, similar
to, resembles, etc. The former Chevy slogan ‘Like
A Rock’ is an example of a simile.
Slang (linguistics, verbal branding)
The non-standard vocabulary of a given culture or sub-culture, typically
consisting of coinages and figures of speech.
Slogan (verbal branding, advertising copy)
A catch phrase, typically developed in support of a shorter-term
product or advertising campaign rather than a longer-term brand-building
program. The late 1990's NBC catch phrase 'Must See TV' is an example
of a slogan. Compare Catch Phrase, Strap Line, Tag Line, and Brand
Line.
Sociative Morpheme (linguistics, brand naming)
Any element of a compound name which does not normally occur outside
of that compound. The ‘cran-’ of ‘cranberry’
is the example typically cited, but Ocean Spray has successfully
introduced the Cran•Apple, Cran•Cherry,
Cran•Grape, Cran•Mango, Cran•Raspberry,
Cran•Strawberry, and Cran•Tangerine juice
drinks. Compare Morpheme.
Sociolinguistics (linguistics, verbal branding)
The study of the sociological factors involved in the use of language,
including differences in gender, race, class, etc. Many linguists,
including the linguistics team at Scarcliff-Salvador, have studied
the differences in language use between men and women, and the results
are often important considerations when it comes to brand naming.
Compare Linguistics.
Sound Pattern (linguistics, verbal branding)
The permissible combinations of the phonemes in a given language.
While ‘sl-’ (as in the Slurpee slushy soft drink)
fits the English sound pattern and is not difficult for an English-speaker
to pronunce pronounce, ‘sb-’ (as in the Sbarro
mall-based Italian restaurant chain) does not fit the English sound
pattern and is therefore considered by English-speakers to be foreign
and/or difficult to pronounce. Note that this is not always a negative,
as in the case of Sbarro!
Sound Symbolism (naming, verbal branding)
The semantic qualities a given sound or combination of sounds suggests
in and of itself. Many linguists have concluded that the high vowel
/i/, as in the word ‘pea’, sounds ‘small’ in
its connotations and, conversely, that the low vowel /a/, as in
‘father’, sounds ‘large’. There are many exceptions
to this general rule, including, ironically, the words ‘big’
and ‘small’ themselves.
Suggestive Name (trademark law, brand naming)
Any brand name which suggests or refers to the good or service in
question, but which does not actually describe it. Compare Descriptive
Name, Allusive Name, and Metaphoric Mame.
Symbol (branding, design)
Any distinctive, typically non-typographic element of the brand
identity which calls to mind the brand as a whole. The Nike
swoosh and the Coca-Cola bottle are instantly recognizable
symbols of their respective brands. The brand name itself may also
be considered a symbol. Compare Brand Identity.
Synecdoche (naming, verbal branding)
Any brand name which uses one example of its category to stand for
the whole. Staples, for example, sells a wide variety of office
supplies, and the Red Lobster restaurant offers a variety of seafood.
Compare Metonym.
Synonym (naming, verbal branding)
Any word having the same or similar meaning as another. In fact,
no two words ever have precisely the same connotations. Compare
Connotation.
Synonymic Attraction (linguistics, verbal branding)
The tendency for things of great interest to a community to attract
a large number of colorful synonyms. Think of the plethora of synonyms
many cultures have for money, intoxication, and sex.
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