The Power of Words in a Brand

Saw an article the other day in Direct Marketing, and was amazed to see my all time favorite nail polish brand featured as a brand expert!

I, too, think OPI Nail Lacquer has created a customer experience unlike any other. Since my first days of organizing the OPI racks at Ulta during high school, I’ve had an obsession with OPI Nail Lacquer. Not with just the colors and high quality of the finish, but the NAMES of the polishes!! Oh, how the use of words draw you to a brand…

Some of my favorites are “Pompeii Purple”, “Bubble Bath”, “Lapazitively Hot”, and “I’m Fondue of You”. I’ve always wondered whose job it was to pick the colors and names of each and was thrilled to find out in the article. Her name is Suzi Weiss-Fischmann and she’s the Executive Vice President of OPI Nail Lacquer, a.k.a. “First Lady of Nails”. She single handedly selects every shade based on the season’s colors and works with others I’m sure to extend their brand ‘experience’ by picking the most catchy and outrageous names for them!

If you haven’t already seen their new Fall line, La Collection De France, you should make it to your nearest salon, Ulta or Beauty Supply and check out the amazing colors and above all, the NAMES! It’s habit if you know the OPI brand – you pick up the bottle and flip it around, almost simultaneously, hold your breath and read the name of the color. Ask any OPI fan!

This behavior proves, case and point, that words can alter the customer experience and take your brand where it’s never been before. OPI tells a story, lets you live the personality of the bottle. If you know OPI, you know that it even turns into a conversation, like “Oh, are you wearing Midnight in Lincoln Park?”, "You have Dutch Tulips on, right?", or “I’m wearing I’m Not Really a Waitress”. Ha-Ha! Other brands are using words to build their brand, like Vitamin Water, Philosophy and Dogeared Jewelry. It’s so brilliant considering most consumers, particularly women, pay attention to the little things that appeal to their creative and sensitive side.

I highly recommend you experience the brand of OPI. You soon will fall in love with the random names and silliness the brand brings to your nails… and to your life, he.he.

It’s about time I see OPI in some marketing publications! They deserve the recognition!

Even for my bridesmaids, I got them all a specially named OPI polish, themed around a wedding and honeymoon. Here are the fun names:

Catch the Garter
Matched Lugged
Sweetheart
Bubble Bath
Passion
Honeymoon Sweet

Now go pick out one for yourself!





With color,

Cheryl