Untrended podcast Ep #5: What’s in a Name?

In the latest episode of Untrended, Nic and Billy are joined by CEO Jon Lonsdale and Creative Director Jamie Fewery to explore the power of brand names.

We dig into what names really mean for businesses: are they your sharpest tool for shaping perception, or just surface-level gloss? And what about the names that go the distance – the ones that become iconic, stick in everyone’s heads, and define entire categories?

What’s in a name?

We kick off with a bit of name-nerdery, including brand names that didn’t go the distance and what makes a great one. Billy shares some names left on the cutting room floor, and our guests weigh in on the brand names they’ve loved (or loathed) the most.

We also dive into some deep Publicis Pro lore – charting the rise of the Octopus brand and our eventual transformation into Publicis Pro. (Fun fact: we could’ve been called Snow Leopard. It would’ve been… a very different vibe.)

From Curious Tungs to the River Almond

Expect detours into Jamie Fewery’s worst-ever band names (yes, plural), conflicting origin stories about why we were called Octopus in the first place, and the curious case of a Scottish telecoms brand inspired by a nut. Also, find out which almond-flavoured cake Jamie is always thinking about.

Why listen to Untrended?

No two episodes are the same, but all are packed with agency insights, strategic smarts, and a generous serving of nonsense chat. This time, we cover:

• The danger of flopping on a brand name (looking at you, As Ever)
• Why brand names get emotional
• The risks of following naming trends
• The biggest mistakes to avoid when naming a B2B product
  

All this and more on Untrended. Listen or watch wherever you get your podcasts – and don’t forget to hit subscribe.

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