Christian Halstead, Strategic Director and Founding Partner at Everland, talks about how naming is a great place to draw associations for food brands that aim to protect ecosystems.
Simulate, Beyond Meat, Remilk, Notco, Liberose, Future Farm… There is no shortage of companies producing alternative proteins. New brands emerge almost every month, launching innovative products one after another.
Some companies have been able to get notable investments and great coverage. Still, the industry is struggling to become mainstream.
Nestlé just scrapped Wanda and Garden Gourmet, and Innocent Drinks pulled its plant-based milks from its shelves. why? They remain an alternative, an alternative, and for many a compromise.
Don't remind me of what I'm missing
Reconstitute the milk, simulate it, and remove it from the meat, like meat. These brands have one thing in common. They emphasize that they are substitutes. That's a rational way of thinking. We are like flesh, but we are not really, so let us tell you that. However, from a communication perspective, this is highly inefficient because consumers do not think in the same linear way. We want to be seduced.
Talking about actively replacing meat with plant-based alternatives may work well for a minority of consumers who behave ethically, but to bring alternative proteins into the mainstream, a different approach is needed. will become necessary. Kombucha didn't become popular because it was a gentle wine; it was something entirely different.
In the name of taste and experience
A good consumer brand name evokes emotion. It tells a story, stands out, and sticks with me. Reasonable names are often descriptive, direct, and easy to understand. However, they also have their limits. The “brown, sugary liquid” doesn't taste as good as Pepsi. “Fizz & Fun” also doesn't work. Many companies seem to have forgotten that when developing their plant-based protein brands.
Recently, I had the opportunity to collaborate with Mwah!, a startup company that makes cashew-based gelato. When defining its name, the company wanted to speak directly to the taste buds, not the brain. Mwa is the chef's kiss and the ultimate gesture of a great taste experience. It tells some story and doesn't limit the brand. Cashew Kauaard was not an option.
Naming is not a sustainable growth solution, but it's a good place to start. Tesla succeeded by standardizing electric cars. It wouldn't have been so cool if Elon Musk had called in the Gasolinenis.
As long as brands continue to market their products as substitutes, they will remain substitutes. And who would want to buy the second best? Rather, brands should focus on what makes them the best. And name it like that.
