Dell’s new PC names are boring—and a smart move

Surely there are many reasons why the parents of a technology icon Michael Dell didn’t mention his name Inspiron or XPS. First of all, Dell’s parents are not Elon Musk. More generally, it is about referring to a commonplace name. Yes, you are sacrificing originality. You risk your cousin calling you a copycat. But in return you get the benefits of clarity and simplicity.

That’s why it makes sense that Dell’s namesake company just announced a revision of its computer naming schemereplacing quite distinctive brands (Inspiron, XPS, Latitude, Precision, OptiPlex) with a signature architecture that has all the sparkling originality of a roulette wheel. Old names dating back to the 90s will be phased out. In their place there will be three more intuitive options: Dell, Dell ProAnd Dell Pro Max.

If you’re getting a nagging feeling that feels familiar, it’s probably because Apple has been using this trick for a long time (iPhone, iPhone pro, iPhone pro maxetc.). But while Dell’s move is derivative, the adoption of this language also takes advantage of the fact that others have already trained consumers to understand what these descriptors mean. If the Big Mac already exists, there’s hardly any need to explain what it is. Big King is. If Disney+ already exists, then everyone is ready for Paramount+.

People love to hate the new name. Paramount+for example, was met with some people roll their eyes; at first glance he admits that he is not the main character. Critics also came to Dell. The naming scheme is: “Apple and soft” It’s an attempt to make the present tense uncool.”PCs are cool again” And yet Nike had Max shoes are back in 1980s. Using about mean professional dates back to the 1850s. Many companies have used these qualifiers.

How telegraphic a brand name should be depends in part on how complex the sector and shopping experience is. Using an original and memorable name can be a powerful differentiation tool that ensures engagement and memorability for consumers. A bold move may well make sense if you’re naming a new startup in a crowded space (like when the branding firm I work for developed Asana circa 2008) or sell certain products (see: skin care company Drunk elephant or a kettle for canned water Liquid death). But what about individual technology product lines from a major player today?

In an industry where consumers are faced with a barrage of confusing specifications and overwhelming hyperchoice– as well as feeling anxiety As for trust: simpler product names may be the answer. This is especially true if the underlying brand already has a lot of equity. If 40 years old Dell Brand has always been a selling point, why not leverage it and focus your marketing attention on it? And if the brand’s ethos has always been more focused on performance and value than creativity, why not reflect that?

Explaining the changes, company executives nodded to “huge confusion” and “overwhelm” among customers and a resulting desire to simplify the situation. “We want to make it easier for our customers to find the right PC,” said vice president Kevin Terwilliger in the report. video interview. “But then also find the right peripheral, the right headset, the right display, and even the right services and support.” If you spend less time targeting customers with brands, you may have more time to set up and sell.