Before You Name Your Next Product...
The popularity of the term Snatched has always confused me...this one makes me uncomfortable
Hello, Gorgeous!
I’ve written about this concept before, but I seriously wonder about the naming processes of some products or brands. I was once called in to help with the launch of a brand whose name meant joy in Greek…but the word also meant poop in another language. Not a great marketing hit.
A few years back I gave my very sheltered and innocent honorary niece a makeover before a big occasion. I picked up an eyeliner I use daily and did a double take when I saw her reading the packaging. Too Faced Better Than Sex Easy Glide Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner is one of my personal makeup kit must-haves. But I have two questions about it.
Is it really better than sex? (No. No it is not. It is eyeliner.)
Why do we have to compare our eyeliner to sexitime? (beyond marketing, innuendo, and attracting a consumer who thinks it’s the bee’s knees, but I digress).
Then again before I get too judgy, I’m the person who used the line “Sex sells,” as the first words in my first book Hello Gorgeous! Beauty Products in America ‘40s-‘60s. At the time I was making a point —that I was discussing the notion of sex being used to sell everything — and in the process I was winking at the idea. The New York Public Library chose my book as a book of the year as well as a book for the teen age, so I guess I was on the right track. But I wonder if I’ll keep that intro in the updated version of the book.
Moving right along, NYX has a line of cosmetics that fall under the Wonder umbrella. Wonder Stick Cream Blush & Contour, Wonder Pencil Dual-Sided Micro Highlight Stick, you get the idea. They also have a collection of brow products — Lift and Snatch Brow Tint Pens — building on the idea of wanting to look snatched, the slangy word that describes everything from looking flawless to being incredibly toned. But it also brings to mind a pejorative for a part of the female anatomy. Which leads me to Wonder Snatch, their new setting powder available only in the U.K. (for now).
Is this the most offensive product name I’ve ever encountered? Nah. Some brands really try to bring the ick. What troubles me about brand names like this is when innocents have no idea that they might be picking up a product with a strong double entendre. In those cases it feels like brands might be laughing at them, not with them. Of course this might be totally innocent, but reading the comments online it’s probably more about starting exactly this type of conversation to build attention for a launch.
Am I the only one who spends too much time overthinking brand and product names? Let’s meet in the comments to discuss!
Rachel, Your beauty concierge 💋
Quick note: I included some affiliate links which means I might earn a small commission, but I also throw in stuff I love just because. Prices are current at publish time.