A car naming case study: The ŠKODA KODIAQ

Written by verbal identity and branding specialist, Phil Ramsell, joint founder of Sticky Name Design and native English copywriter & creative director based in Hamburg, Germany

It’s harder than ever to come up with truly original names. But one approach that’s pretty effective is to put a “sticky” twist on an existing name. That’s what ŠKODA did when they named their new SUV, the KODIAQ a few years ago. They took the name of the world’s largest brown bear, the Kodiak, and changed the ‘K’ at the end to a ‘Q’. It was an inspired move, because this allowed them to appropriate all the meaning from the original name for their new ‘bear of an SUV’ and take ownership of it.

But they didn’t stop there. Recognising that having a unique and “sticky” name won’t do you much good unless you generate awareness for it, they created an equally sticky PR stunt ahead of the car’s launch in order to help explain and seed the name. Watch the ‘NAME DAY’ film below to see how they did it.

ŠKODA KODIAQ new brand name launch commercial

This naming strategy proved very effective in helping drive sales of the KODIAQ. So much so that ŠKODA have continued the approach when naming new members of their SUV family. New models like the KAROQ and KAMIQ have followed, announcing their shared DNA with big brother, KODIAQ by means of the ‘K’ at the beginning of their names and the ‘Q’ at the end. And just like their sibling, both models were also supported ahead of launch with their own naming story films.

Creating car names people can get behind

As naming strategies go, other automotive manufacturers – any brand for that matter – would do well to take note. Because this approach really does help control the narrative around the meaning you want people to associate with your name right from the get go. Once you’ve invested time, energy and money in coming up with a great name, why leave it open to misinterpretation or even mispronunciation when you don’t have to? Give your audience the inside track on what your name means and how to pronounce it and you can turn them into powerful advocates who will help spread your naming story for you.

Of course, you still need an original “sticky” name that people will want to get behind. One that will strike a powerful chord with your audience and forge some very desirable emotional bonds. So, you’ll probably want to avoid going down the same road as Jeep did when they named one of their SUVs the Comanche Eliminator, a vehicle seemingly targeted at people with a desire to annihilate a tribe of native American Indians. But once you’ve found the right moniker, building an engaging naming story around it is a fantastic way to help ensure your name will stick for all the right – and not the wrong – reasons.

The Sticky approach to brand naming

At Sticky Name Design, we take a holistic approach to naming that’s driven by road-holding strategic insights. So, whether you’re looking for an original name with true sticking power, a gripping naming concept for a new product family or ideas on how best to launch your new name in the stickiest way, we can help. Let’s talk about the specifics of your particular naming challenge: get in touch.

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