Food and Beverage Name-branding Agency Eat My Words Presents "The Love Your Name Award" at the Natural Products Expo West Show

SAN DIEGO, March 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Boutique naming firm Eat My Words (www.eatmywords.com) recently presented the "The Love Your Name Award" to 10 companies at the Expo West Natural Foods Show.

"I wanted to recognize the most captivating love-at-first-sight names at the show because, at the grocery store, brands have a split second to grab someone's attention. If you have a name that people love before they even try the product, you're golden," said Alexandra Watkins, the aptly named "Big Cheese" of Eat My Words. "When someone sees a brand name that makes them break out in a grin, their brain releases positive neurotransmitters, including dopamine, endorphins, and serotonin. That's the power of an awesome name."

"Many names have interesting stories behind them, but the name has to grab someone first because the whole story can't be explained in just a word or two," said Watkins, author of the bestselling book, "Hello, My Name Is Awesome: How to Create Brand Names That Stick," which Inc. Magazine named a "Top 10 Marketing Book" and called, "required reading for anybody starting a new business."

"The average grocery store carries more than 28,000 products, so you need a magnetic brand name that will capture hearts and wallets. Whether your name needs to command attention in the supermarket or social media, it can't afford to be a wallflower," said Watkins, who specializes in naming products for the food and beverage industry.

Food manufacturers and associations seeking breakthrough names can contact Watkins at [email protected]

Since 2005, Eat My Words has been churning out love-at-first-sight food and beverage names, including Wendy's Baconator, Burger King's Mac' n Cheetos, Spoon Me frozen yogurt, The Church of Cupcakes, and Chuggernaut beer growlers.

The Winners

These 10 names were determined to be the cream of the crop of the more than 3,000 brands exhibiting at Expo West. Companies received an artistic heart-shaped pink glass trophy and a year of free brand-name brainstorming help and consulting.

Doughpamine - playful name for a frozen cookie dough company

Whipnotic - mesmerizing name for disruptive whipped cream

A Dozen Cousins - charming name inspired by a real family and family meals

Death Wish Coffee - killer name that makes no apologies

Frooze Balls - infectious name for yummy plant-powered energy balls

Madly Hadley - lyrical name of the founder of this plant-based company

Date Better Snacks - super sweet name for super sweet products

Perfy - high-smileage name for a low sugar soda with a sweet story behind it

Plantasia Foods - appetizing name + equally appetizing burgers & more

Rootine - clever name for daily drink mixes & a company rooted in science

Videos of all of the award winners are at https://eatmywords.com/name-awards/ 

Award Criteria: The Eat My Words SMILE & SCRATCH Test

Many winners told me, "I was pretty sure I had an awesome name based on how customers and retailers react to it, but your professional validation is so meaningful." Most people don't know how to judge what makes a great name. They've never been taught. And that's why we created the Eat My Words' SMILE and SCRATCH Test to teach them. This 12-point evaluation criteria will help companies see what makes names strong or weak," Watkins said.

Featured in the Wall Street Journal and other leading publications, SMILE & SCRATCH Test is based on our philosophy that a name should make you smile instead of scratch your head. 

SMILE: The 5 Qualities of a Super-Sticky Name
Suggestive—evokes something about your brand
Memorable—makes a familiar association
Imagery—aids memory through evocative visuals
Legs—lends itself to a theme for extended mileage
Emotional—moves people

SCRATCH: The 7 Deal Breakers
Spelling challenged—looks like a typo
Copycat—resembles competitors' names
Restrictive—limits future growth
Annoying—seems forced, frustrates customers
Tame—feels flat, descriptive, uninspired
Curse of knowledge—speaks only to insiders
Hard to pronounce—confuses customers

Companies can test their names at www.freenametest.com.

About Alexandra Watkins

Alexandra Watkins, founder of naming firm Eat My Words, is a recognized expert on brand names with buzz.

She is frequently quoted in the press and featured in leading business publications, including The Wall Street Journal, Inc., and Entrepreneur. Alexandra is a popular speaker at MBA programs and has been a guest lecturer multiple times at leading business schools such as Stanford University, UC Berkeley, Dartmouth, the University of Southern California, and the University of San Francisco.

Prior to Eat My Words, Alexandra was an advertising copywriter, working at leading ad agencies up and down the West Coast, including five years at Ogilvy and Mather.

Contact
Alexandra Watkins
[email protected]
415-420-5741

SOURCE Eat My Words