Naming something new is always a fun challenge. The key is keeping it fun and minimizing the challenge, especially for your target audience.

Several recent client projects required naming an entity. The name game — and in one particular case a game of re-naming — followed an in-depth development of a brand position. Getting your head and heart around the brand position is such an influential factor in the sustainability of any entity. Moving simply from an idea or concept to a name, without the branding wrestle is a misstep in the marketplace.

Sometimes the naming can be as hand-wrenching as the brand development itself if you let it take on a life of its own. Don’t hoard all the emotional investment for the naming component. If you invest your emotions sufficiently in the earlier stage of brand development then you will discover that rational thinking can be your best lead in the naming phase.

Experiential branding techniques have yet to reach a full swell as a growing trend. Many brands naturally connect with some kind of experience. Coca-Cola has mastered the experiential tie to its iconic drink for decades. Experience — especially a fun experience — is integral to its brand promise.

Liquor brands fall into the same category, portraying their brands within the context of something festive or special. In an effort to position themselves more favorably and directly with consumers, liquor brands are hosting special invitation-only events in thirsty cities across the country.

It will be interesting to see how the specifics shape up within the National Football League (NFL), as it takes ownership of creating a role model culture of professional football players who know how to behave and know how to demonstrate self-control and respect for another human being.

Domestic violence has been around since Cain murdered Abel. However, the increasing transparency and visibility of the intimate lifestyles of NFL players bring the issue to center stage for sports fans and society. If only security cameras and smartphones were not so prevalent, capturing our behavior especially when we think we are discreet or undetected.

Austin, TX, lands on many lists, including top cities attracting millennial creative types like musicians and artists. The city’s population of millennials provides insight into the artistic and expressive values of a generation. Considered as the new boomers, millennials are influencing new trends that are just beginning to generate ripples. This puts the Texas capital in the running for yet another list: cultural bellwether cities.