XLERATOR®

Quick, how did you pronounce that name?

Here is the logo design on the product…does it help or hurt the pronunciation?

I won’t go into my thoughts on the name itself (i.e., is it a #GoodName or a #BadName?).

But I will make a point about how you can use logo design to encourage proper pronunciation of your name.

The way the name appears on the wall mounted hand dryer is block letters all connected: XLERATOR. If you try to pronounce it you will find the initial X to be difficult, and might end up calling the brand X-lerator. However, I’m almost certain the company wants you to pronounce it as “EXCELERATOR.”

One way to encourage proper pronunciation would be to space the brand name a bit…maybe go with XL ERATOR. Or perhaps you bold the XL and make it look like: XLERATOR. With some simple visual cues, the name becomes easier to pronounce.

I’m not a graphic designer but I’m sure a good one could name hundreds of other ways to encourage proper pronunciation. Developing a name is only one part of branding. Don’t forget the visual aspects of branding!