Real Estate Agent Personal Branding: What’s In a Name?

Luxury Real Estate Marketing Professionals must pay close attention to word associations when choosing a personal brand name, a domain name for their web site or blog, and also a brand name for their team. Sometimes it is helpftul to look at some luxury brand name disasters to avoid pitfalls. Here is an example of what some experts consider to be a disaster waiting to happen by the ultra-luxury division of Mercedes Benz—Maybach-- that produces limited production models of 100 cars priced between $522K and $609K.

The newest model has been named Maybach Zheppelin. With the crash of the Hindenburg (a Zeppelin airship) and the 1970’s iconic heavy metal rock group from England, Led Zeppelin, what were they thinking? These two word associations spell disaster! The marketing department intended to refer the newer model group to its ancestors built in 1932-34, the Maybach DS8 Zeppelin. The Zeppelin name was chosen to honor the experience gained from designing the Zeppelin airship engines.

In 1937, the Hindenburg caught fire and was destroyed within one minute while attempting to dock. This accident destroyed public confidence, and ended the reign of rigid airships. The cause of the fire is still unknown. It may have had nothing to do with its engineering. However, reviving the name evokes the inescapable association with the crash and burn of the Hindenburg disaster.

Led ZeppelinDoes Led Zeppelin mean luxury to you? The manufacturer’s credo is “to create nothing but the best from the most advanced materials, cars of lasting value, manufactured to the highest level of perfection. The Maybach Zeppelin is the ultimate answer to automotive wishes, with a distinctive character, and the highest levels of elegance and power. “-(From a Maybach 1934 leaflet)- Check out this video, then reflect on the Hindenburg and Led Zepplin? Get the picture?

When choosing a name do your homework by making sure it reflects well on the image you are trying to convey to your clients. Don’t get caught up in history and romance of the past. In today’s world, it is easy to investigate the different meanings of a word and their associations by using the internet. Happy Naming!

Real Estate Agent Personal Branding: What’s In a Name?

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