Naming

I was fortunate to learn a great deal about naming from branding legend Terry Heckler, a longtime mentor of mine. While working with him, I developed names for Starbucks, Redhook Ale Brewery, Freestone Inn, Montrail, T9, Suncadia, Microsoft, and others. There is an art and a science to this practice, and the results are powerful, memorable names that stand the test of time. I brought my naming knowledge to Starbucks and developed a naming process and standards used throughout the organization.

Panera Bread

St. Louis Bread Co. wanted to expand their footprint across the U.S. and Canada. To do so, it needed a name built for growth. The Heckler team recommended moving away from a regional name to an empty vessel whose meaning would come from the customer’s experience with the brand. I coined Panera from the Greek root pan, meaning all, the French word pain, meaning bread, and era which means time. The name is easy to say and remember. It’s also unique and iconic, making it stand out from the competition.

Amazon Kitchen

When I joined Amazon, their private label project needed wholistic brand development, starting with a name. Consumer insights revealed a strong preference for names that included the word Amazon. When paired with kitchen, the brand gained food credibility and humanity. Amazon Kitchen was a perfect fit. This channel agnostic name allowed Amazon products to live alongside their other private labels as well as third-party products sold in Amazon grocery settings, both in-store and online.

Tryer Center

Starbucks was set to launch a 20,000 square-foot innovation center at the company’s global headquarters in Seattle, but first they needed a name. The challenge was to position this lab as the creative nerve center of the world’s leading coffee company, attracting new talent and new thinking for products, equipment, and operations. After creating the recommended name, I had the privilege of sharing it with Starbucks CEO, Kevin Johnson. He got it and loved it. Tryer Center refers to the coffee roaster’s tool, the trier, which is used to check the progress of beans during the roasting process. The name also conveys the idea of innovating and trying new things.

Phantom Espresso

The industrial design team at Starbucks knocked it out of the park with this espresso machine, and it’s nothing short of magic to see it in action. With components under the counter, the espresso moves upward through the bottom of the shot glasses. The barista then tips the handle to pour the shots. This mystifying experience called for a name that was just as captivating. Starbucks Phantom Espresso machine.

Clover X

Until the revolutionary Clover X machine came along, customers at Starbucks cafes either had to drink brewed coffee that had been sitting awhile, or wait several minutes for a new pot to brew. This new technology, however, brewed one cup at a time in less than 30 seconds. It reduced waste for the company, because brewed coffee no longer had to be thrown out every 20 minutes. It also saved time for baristas as well, who previously brewed large quantities of coffee, emptied filters of coffee grounds, and cleaned brewers. Clover X, implying express, referred to speed and highlighted the Clover technology used to create the high-definition flavors of each coffee.

Starbucks On The Go

This premium self-serve beverage kiosk gave people access to a hot Starbucks beverage when they didn’t have time to stop at Starbucks. The name Starbucks On The Go telegraphed ease, speed, and convenience.

Serenade Brewer

What do you name a coffee brewer with a touch screen for absolute simplicity? This innovative and intuitive machine makes hot beverages perfectly every time, and enables companies to share great coffee, tea, and cocoa with their employees and customers. Rather than focusing on technology, the naming romanced the benefit. Serenade Single-Cup Brewer captured the essence of this utterly seductive device and the beverages it crafts for you in seconds.

Little Big Show

It’s not every day that you get to name a concert series. A collaboration between KEXP, STG, and Starbucks, the concerts contributed 100% of ticket sales to local nonprofits that support youth through the arts. Little Big Show was inspired by what happens when a big company like Starbucks supports little nonprofits and up-and-coming talent—a little show with a big effect. The series reached 21 shows, raising more than $270,000 for 19 nonprofits and bridging ties between Starbucks and its hometown.

Fizzio

The assignment was to name Starbucks proprietary carbonation machine and beverage platform. The technology allowed customers to choose the amount of carbonation in their beverage. Rather than create separate names for the machine and the beverage, I focused on a name that would suit both. The strategy called for a name that was intuitive and conveyed carbonation. It also had to be available for trademark around the globe. Fizzio fit the bill with literal associations to fizz and fizzy, plus a fun, uplifting tone. The handcrafted sodas had a short run in the U.S. due to the fading popularity of sugary sodas. However, Fizzio sparkling beverages remain successful throughout Asia.

Café Estima

For Starbucks first Fair Trade Certified coffee, the company wanted a name that honored the farmers. Café Estima Blend was my recommendation. Estima, Spanish for pride and esteem, suited this blend, featuring beans from Latin America, painstakingly nurtured and picked at their peak of flavor.

Rwanda Blue Bourbon

Before Starbucks Reserve Coffee and Starbucks Reserve Roasteries, there were rare, single-origin, small-lot coffees known as Starbucks Black Apron Exclusives. This series introduced me to the nuances of coffee and the impact terroir and coffee stewardship has on its flavor. I interviewed farmers, exporters, and Starbucks coffee experts and wrote coffee packaging. I also had the privilege of naming many of the coffees. Rwanda Blue Bourbon was Starbucks first coffee from Rwanda. The name refers to the varietal (bourbon) and its blueish hue prior to roasting. Other notable names include: Aged Sumatra Lot 523, Kenya Kirinyaga, Kopi Kampung Sulawesi, Elephant Kinjia Tanzania, and Kigabah Estate Papua New Guinea.

KATI KATI

The master blenders of this seasonal, summertime coffee sought a name that conjures the bold flavors of beans from Ethiopia and Kenya. Kati Kati, Swahili for between, evokes Africa, while also being strikingly simple, memorable, and easy to pronounce. Additionally, the name is a great jumping off point for storytelling about this remarkable coffee.

AFRICA KITAMU

Names that begin with the strong k sound are bold and dynamic and so is this blend of beans from East Africa. I chatted with a Swahili speaker and discovered the ideal word for this coffee: Kitamu, which means an indescribable flavor—something utterly tasty.

TRIBUTE BLEND

It was Starbucks 40th anniversary and founder Howard Schultz asked his coffee experts to create a blend that “knocked his socks off.” This one broke all the rules, blending syrupy, cedary and full-bodied aged Sumatran beans with the dark cherry notes of sun-dried Ethiopian coffee, plus juicy and herbal beans from Papua New Guinea, finished with balanced and nutty Colombian coffee. It was a bold cup never experienced before. The name Tribute honors the customers and baristas who made Starbucks the company that it is. Howard Schultz mentions the coffee and its apt name in his second book, Onward.

3 REGION BLEND

This coffee celebrates the season of renewal. Rather than giving it a name that echoed the floral, spring-inspired artwork, I recommended calling out the unique aspects of the blend. Few coffees feature beans from all three coffee growing regions, and I’m a big fan of numeric names. 3 Region Blend was born.