WRITING

22 Names and Taglines

An organization’s name establishes its most overt identity. Beyond that, a strong name also provides excellent raw material for a strong graphic identity.

An average name won’t completely limit the prospects for an organization’s graphic identity, but working with a great name can solve half the problem. When paired with a clear graphic device, names that suggest something beyond their literal meanings create some of the most evocative identities. An organization with a great name is an obvious candidate for a word mark. It may make sense to show off the name, keeping any embellishment subordinate rather than layering in meaning with additional graphic elements. A clear, strong name and straightforward type treatment wield surprising power.

Increasingly, organizations are choosing to emphasize separate taglines to help carve out their identity and enhance their positioning. Successful taglines often play off the name, augmenting its meaning. Rebranding initiatives often employ a new tagline when reshaping an organization’s identity is the goal but changing the name is not an option.

1. Workamajig
Push
Chris Robb, Mark Unger, Forest Young

2. Cake Monkey Bakery
Special Modern Design
Karen Barranco

3. ASAP
University of Tennessee
Sarah Lowe, Whitney Hayden, Ryan Wodruff

4. Generation Homes
Kevin France Design

5. Elev8
samatamason
David Handschuh, Elizabeth Seon, Greg Samata

6. The Chicken Shack
Idea 21
Tom Berno, Jeff Davis

7. No Frizz by Living Proof
Wolff Olins
Todd Simmons, Tiziana Haug, Sung Kim, Mary Ellen Muckerman, Carmine Montalto, Beth Kovalsky, Michele Miller

8. Relax-a-daisical
Imagehaus
Jay Miller

9. Goodnight Exterminators
Idea 21
Tom Berno, Jeff Davis

We don’t know what a Workamajig is, but we know there’s creativity at work there. Choose a name that will intrigue or inspire.