Myntra changed its logo overnight after a single complaint — and with it the website, the app, the packaging and the product labels across India. It had the resources to absorb that. Most brands facing the same moment do not.
“Buyers make most decisions by relying on their two-second first impressions based on stored memories, images and feelings.” — Malcolm Gladwell, Blink
Why the name is the risk
Most of us know first impressions matter. We would prefer not to judge a book by its cover, but we do — it is second nature.
Branding creates a memorable impression, tells consumers what to expect, and distinguishes you from competitors. One of the most essential decisions in starting a business is choosing the right name. Get it wrong and the brand can sink before it has a chance.
The Myntra episode illustrates the exposure. An activist complained to the cybercrime police that the logo was offensive towards women, and Myntra revised it. To a layman that is a small change; in practice it meant changes across digital placements — website, mobile app — and physical ones: packaging material, product labels, across India.
Rebranding normally takes significant deliberation. Here the new logo was introduced overnight. A successful brand will have spent crores establishing its logo as a familiar symbol, and Myntra had deep pockets to fund an unplanned rebrand. A smaller brand or a startup, facing the same cost, could be looking at insolvency.
Consumers form a brand perception in seconds. Creating the right one requires thorough due diligence first.
1. Choose a distinctive mark
Effective branding starts with a distinctive mark. Distinctiveness falls into five categories, strongest first:
- Coined or fanciful — an invented word (Kodak);
- Arbitrary — a real word unrelated to the goods (Apple, for computers);
- Suggestive — hinting at a quality without describing it (Redbus);
- Descriptive — “Home Décor” for curtains and bedsheets; and
- Generic — a common term for the product itself, such as calling a women’s accessories brand “Accessorize”.
The first two are hardest to sell internally and easiest to protect. The last two are the reverse — easy to explain, impossible to own, and frequently unregistrable.
2. Test consumer perception
Gathering opinions and feedback from different demographics is among the most important steps in deciding a name or logo. Segment the audience — age, gender, location — and see how each group reacts.
The purpose is an unprejudiced view across social, religious, economic, political and environmental dimensions. What reads as neutral to the team that designed it may not read that way to everyone else. Perception drove Amazon to change a logo said to resemble a moustache with unfortunate associations, and it drove the Myntra rebrand.
3. Check global acceptance
Before expanding internationally, language is a significant factor and can be a barrier. A word that works in one language may mean something entirely different in another.
Consider the cultural values, norms, etiquette, humour and slang of the region, and confirm the name has no negative connotations in any language spoken in the target countries. Nokia’s Lumia is the standard cautionary example — the term carries a pejorative meaning in Spanish.
4. Get a professional opinion
Trademark registration is a vital step. It is worth consulting an attorney, who will conduct their own due diligence — an extensive clearance search — and guide the mark through application to registration and periodic renewal.
This is where the legal and commercial checks converge. A search establishes whether the name is available; the distinctiveness analysis establishes whether it is ownable. A name can pass one and fail the other.
The point
We live in a society where everyone has a voice and a platform, and social media can shift consumer sentiment about a brand quickly. Companies cannot ignore even a small outrage, because it can snowball beyond control.
Better safe than sorry — and considerably cheaper than rebranding the whole business.
The takeaways
- Coined and arbitrary marks are strongest — descriptive and generic ones are barely ownable.
- Test perception across demographics before committing.
- Check meaning in every target-market language.
- A clearance search answers availability; distinctiveness answers ownability.
Frequently asked questions
What makes a trademark strong? Coined or fanciful marks are strongest, followed by arbitrary and suggestive ones. Descriptive and generic terms are weak and often unregistrable.
Why test a brand name with different demographics? Because perception varies across age, gender, location and community — and an outrage that seems minor can force an expensive rebrand.
Do I need to check my brand name in other languages? Yes, if you plan to expand internationally — a name can carry an unintended or offensive meaning in a target market’s language.
Is a clearance search enough on its own? No — a search tells you whether a name is available, but not whether it is distinctive enough to own and enforce.