Advertising Agency Names and SEO Terms
This is an update to a 2015 post about advertising agency names. Yes, 2015. It was a hit at that time and subsequent blog posts about how to name an advertising agency have done well… as well. Here is an example post (a two-parter) on how to name an advertising agency.
I thought that I’d update this because I took a look at the agency names from some recent award shows – OK, Cannes Lions. I think that names matter:
- The Monkeys
- adam&eveDDB
- GUT
- SMUGGLER
- Uncommon Creative Studio
- Special
Back To Advertising Agency Names From 2015
Before I begin, I just want to apologize for the clickbait headline. Obviously, this headline is silly:
Unbelievable Advertising Agency Names For Your Agency.
But if you hang out on the web these days, you will see clickbait headlines all over – as in ad nauseam (I love the definition: Ad nauseam is a Latin term for a discussion that has continued so long that it has continued “to [the point of] nausea”.) The subject of the proliferation of clickbait, even by major advertisers and publishers – vs. delivering consumer value vs. trickery – is a worthy subject for another post. But, let’s get back to advertising agency names.
SEO
On the left is a list of some of the top search terms that people have used to wind up on my website. I only include these (and they are a bit wonky, and at best directional, ’cause they are from WordPress stats.) However, it is interesting (well, to me) that it appears that there are a lot of searches for ‘how to name an advertising agency.’ Advertising agency people really dig this subject and they spend hours thinking hard about selecting the perfect name.
They also spend hours thinking that they need to redesign their website. And, many should.
Note: If you read to the bottom, you will see that agency names just might not matter. But, first…
I renamed my ex-agency twice.
I admit it, I’ve been a re-namer too. When I bought my agency in 2002 it was Ralston Group (named after the founder); then we moved to Ralston360 in 2004 (we were becoming more digital and direct responsive.) A few years later we switched to Citrus after we bought the design firm Citrus and expanded our presence in the Portland market. We simply liked their name more than ours (and, as you might expect we also got tired of the 360 thing, 360 got way overused) so we took Citrus on.
What’s Your Agency Name?
If you are thinking about launching a new advertising agency or think re-naming your agency might stimulate new business, signal a change in course or ownership or simply make you sound cooler or hipper or smarter or groovier or, well… then head over to one of my most popular posts: “How To Name You Advertising Agency.”
I hope that this two-part post will help you think through the types of brand name options that exist, and more importantly, will guide you to think more strategically about the process of selecting a brilliant brand name.
OK, As Promised: Unbelievable Advertising Agency Names For Your Agency
Since I clickbaited… here is a short list of some of the weirder, stranger, WTF, again whateva, names just for you:
Just to start on a high note, here is a very cool anti-name: Un-Titled
An agency that likes to rotate clients: Turnstyle
Dig smelly: Stink Digital
I admit it, I love this one: Moosylvania
Watch where you tread: High Heels & Bananas
Given the overwhelming use of Ashley Madison I give you: Mistress
How do you like your agency folks?: High Wide & Handsome
I used to live and eat in London, so I truly get this one: No More Pork Pies
Last Point: Do Brand Names Matter?
Avi Dan’s article in Forbes, “As The Weather Cools, 10 Hot Agencies To Consider This Fall”, might offer some insight. Here is his expert opinion on what are currently the hottest agencies (must say that this seems like a boring been there done that list, however). Ok, on to the names
Do you think that these agency’s names matter to their success? Clearly some like Grey and BBDO are very old school and most are just founder names. However, at least 72andSunny offers some SOCAL sunshine and Anomaly suggests that they don’t deliver the same old solutions. Based on this list, do names matter as much as advertising brilliance… no.
1. Droga5.
2. Anomaly.
3. Wieden+Kennedy.
4. 72andSunny.
5. Grey
6. BBDO.
7. R/GA.
8. Deutsch LA.
9. Fallon.
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