The art of building legendary brands | Arielle Jackson (Google, Square, First Round Capital)
Executive Summary
Arielle Jackson joins Lenny Rachitsky on naming and early brand strategy: positioning first, a naming brief, a broad brainstorm, practical checks and purpose-positioning-personality. Selected coverage omits Square Cover, the later personality deep dive and sponsor segments. Company naming stories are her account. Untimed editorial topics are not video chapters; legal availability requires separate checks.
Key Takeaways
Start naming with positioning
Jackson recommends deciding the product's positioning before naming it. A name should express what matters about the product rather than emerge from a detached word game. This selected summary covers her naming and early brand-strategy advice, not her full later discussion of personality.
Use a naming brief
Write down what you are naming, what it should communicate, what to avoid and the names of related products. Include constraints such as pronunciation in a target language. The brief makes tradeoffs visible before the team becomes attached to a favorite.
Evaluate more than domain availability
Her criteria include trademark, distinctiveness, memorability, longevity, messaging and ease of saying and spelling the name. A fashionable suffix or exact domain is not enough. Legal availability still needs proper checks; this interview is not a trademark clearance.
Generate many options before narrowing
Jackson runs a small group brainstorm from meaningful positioning words, then from related themes. Synonyms, other languages and free associations generate candidates. She expects many weak ideas before a few worth exploring, then checks a shortlist against the criteria.
Keep several finalists
She advises against becoming attached to a single name before trademark and domain checks. Several top contenders preserve options if one cannot be used. A suggestive name can make sense once the product is explained without having to describe the entire product literally.
Separate purpose, positioning and personality
In her brand framework, purpose is why the company exists, positioning is the role its product should play in customers' lives, and personality is how it shows up. These are related but different decisions. A logo and colors alone do not answer them.
Put strategy and voice in the style guide
Jackson recommends using purpose, positioning and personality to inform visual design and written tone. A useful guide should explain who the brand is, why it exists and what copy could sound like, alongside fonts and colors. This helps teammates apply decisions rather than merely preserve a logo.
The Conversation Breakdown
Start naming with positioning
⏱ Untimed topicJackson recommends deciding the product's positioning before naming it. A name should express what matters about the product rather than emerge from a detached word game. This selected summary covers her naming and early brand-strategy advice, not her full later discussion of personality.
Use a naming brief
⏱ Untimed topicWrite down what you are naming, what it should communicate, what to avoid and the names of related products. Include constraints such as pronunciation in a target language. The brief makes tradeoffs visible before the team becomes attached to a favorite.
Evaluate more than domain availability
⏱ Untimed topicHer criteria include trademark, distinctiveness, memorability, longevity, messaging and ease of saying and spelling the name. A fashionable suffix or exact domain is not enough. Legal availability still needs proper checks; this interview is not a trademark clearance.
Generate many options before narrowing
⏱ Untimed topicJackson runs a small group brainstorm from meaningful positioning words, then from related themes. Synonyms, other languages and free associations generate candidates. She expects many weak ideas before a few worth exploring, then checks a shortlist against the criteria.
Keep several finalists
⏱ Untimed topicShe advises against becoming attached to a single name before trademark and domain checks. Several top contenders preserve options if one cannot be used. A suggestive name can make sense once the product is explained without having to describe the entire product literally.
Separate purpose, positioning and personality
⏱ Untimed topicIn her brand framework, purpose is why the company exists, positioning is the role its product should play in customers' lives, and personality is how it shows up. These are related but different decisions. A logo and colors alone do not answer them.
Put strategy and voice in the style guide
⏱ Untimed topicJackson recommends using purpose, positioning and personality to inform visual design and written tone. A useful guide should explain who the brand is, why it exists and what copy could sound like, alongside fonts and colors. This helps teammates apply decisions rather than merely preserve a logo.
Core Frameworks & Ideas
Naming brief
Define what you are naming, what to communicate and avoid, related names and practical constraints.
Positioning-first brainstorm
Generate words from positioning and related themes, then evaluate several finalists.
Purpose, positioning, personality
Connect why the company exists, the product's customer role and how the brand shows up.
Actionable Next Steps
- ✓Write a naming brief with communication goals and pronunciation constraints.
- ✓Generate candidates from positioning words and related themes.
- ✓Keep several finalists pending trademark and domain checks.
- ✓Add purpose, positioning and sample voice to the style guide.
Notable Quotes
“I really believe that positioning dictates so much of your marketing and should always be the first thing you do.”
“So your brand is who people think you are and developing a brand strategy is what do you want to be?”
“Sure. So your purpose is why you do what you do.”
The One Thing to Remember
Make brand decisions explicit before choosing a name, a logo or a tone of voice.