One of the most successful FMCG brands of recent years has been I Can't Believe It's Not Butter. Unilever's yellow fat naming phenomenon that has inspired jokes, parodies and serious competitor products.

In the same category of "quasi-alternate descriptive brands" (which I have just invented) there is another product with which itinerants like me are all too familiar. I refer to the foil-topped portions of faux milk, branded: Tastes Like Fresh Milk. Alone in far-flung hotel rooms, I have occasionally found myself picking up these little pots and muttering quietly to myself, "No. It doesn't."

I suspect that opportunities for growth in this category are limited. Early rounds of qualitative research would surely put a halt to  Smells A Bit Like Cheese or I Simply Refuse To Accept That This Is Not Coffee.

But, while brands that are overtly offering a substitute often seem ridiculous, there is real merit in being direct and unambiguous with a brand name. If you know what you product's competitive advantage is and you're clear about where you want it to be positioned in the market, the "tell it like it is" strategy is generally a smart move, Thankfully, it seems that the world of media is gradually coming to its senses  and eschewing the nonsense brands which were once so chic and seductive for investors.It would be  reasonable to assume that the failure of sites like Bonzo, BrightKite and Squidoo to capture the world's attention might have been affected in some small way by the fact that they have dumb ass names.In contrast,  FaceBook, LinkedIn and MySpace give some insight into their core benefits right from the get-go.

I know, I know. A crap name does not always preclude success nor a brilliant name assure it. Yes. The world's largest web company has an infantile, synthesized name but 'Google' does have a rational back story. Yes. Circa 47% of the world's soft drink market is owned by a brand named after an outlawed opiate but in its early days Coke did actually contain cocaine and kola nuts.

The point I'm making is this...

In industrial design, great aesthetics are born out of clear purpose and utility ("form follows function"). Similarly, in marketing, powerful brand names are born out of understanding and meeting customer needs. The brand name is often the first and indeed the last opportunity to communicate product benefits clearly and quickly.