from Marketing Memetics, by Michael Taylor
What’s in a name? Quite a lot, it turns out. Names are the building blocks of how we think. They let us put things into categories, which is required for reasoning. Without a name, concepts remain unshaped. If you see a bath you're in the bathroom, a bed you're in the bedroom, but if you see both that's trickier to describe. Naming a thing makes it easier remember. In ancient times they believed to name a thing was to create it. As most people were illiterate, anything forgotten did functionally cease to exist. Granting space in your memory to a concept lets it gather meaning, form associations, and take shape. When you hear the name again, it references that place in memory. Names are a tool for efficient compression and recall of information.
It’s easier to talk about “Project Lightspeed” than “that project we’re working on to develop a COVID vaccine”; and it reminds us we need to go fast. Names are often chosen for their pre-existing associations. It’s important there’s a shared culture: naming a secret meeting “Project Elrond” will tickle only Tolkien fans. Naming is an art, and there are consequences. The wrong name shapes destiny – just ask Romeo Montague. A rose by any other name would still smell as sweet, but calling them ‘stench blossoms’ might affect sales. If a name references a spot that’s already taken, its associations come with it. This mechanism is so powerful, it can go haywire: people named Dennis are more likely to become Dentists.
Name | Link | Type |
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65 Trigger Words and Phrases for Powerful Multimedia Content | Blog | |
Antonio García Martínez Tweet, Airfryers | Social | |
Emotional Persuasion: The Advanced Guide | Blog | |
How consumer needs shape search behavior and drive intent | ||
How your name affects your personality | Article | |
If Your Name is Dennis, You're More Likely to Become a Dentist | ||
If Your Name is Dennis, You're More Likely to Become a Dentist | Article | |
Keerti Thread, Growth Hacking | Social | |
Meme, Counter-meme | Article | |
Naming Is An Act of Creation | Blog | |
RJ Youngling Tweet, precise language | Social | |
Software Complexity: Naming | Blog | |
Sutherland Tweet, Airfryers | Social | |
The Martian 2015 | Project Elrond - Secret Meeting | Video | |
The Simpsons: "A rose by any other name would smell as sweet."
(S9, E2: "The Principal and the Pauper") | Video | |
Thread on Airfryers, Rory Sutherland | Social | |
TwoHardThings | Blog | |
Wrong enemy vs Right enemy |