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Double 'O' Syndrome
Have you noticed how many of the internet's most successful companies contain two 'o's in their name. These include: Google, Yahoo, Wanadoo and even Microsoft, to name but a few. And those that don't have 2 o's contain at least one, hotmail, Nintendo and yes, even JKomp. This article aims to answer the question why? And how much of the double 'o' companies' success can be attributed to this odd choice of vowel content.
I believe one reason for using 2 o's is for the sake of spelling when someone says yahoo it is immediately obvious how it is spelt. Repeated letters in a name also help with typing ease. Making sure your customer gets your name right is very important, especially on the internet, a typo can aid your competitors.
So why use 2 o's? Why not have three or even four? The double o is easy to pronounce and is perhaps the most memorable and distinct vowel sound possible. It is distinct but soft, helping to soften the sound of the business name, reducing the hard 'g' sounds in Google and complementing the soft consonants of yahoo. A long ooooooo sound is soft and relaxing, while a long eeee sound creates anxiety and clearly a long iii or uu would not flow. So onto the question of why 2 o's not 3 or 4.
It is also partly due to balance, in marketing it is important to achieve balance, the name Google is balance. Each g is attached to three other letters. The name Yahoo is also balanced about the h, with two letters either side, the first creating an ascending sound and then a descending sound. To have Gooogle or Yahooo would be excessive and would destroy the balance, it would also serve to create ambiguity about the spelling, 'is it 2o's or 3?' Furthermore, 3 or more o's together become blurred and instantly reduced the brand recognition factor. It is, however, important to note that both Google and Yahoo register the excess 'o' versions of their domains, in case people put in tooooo many.
So double o syndrome helps marketability, creating: ease of spelling and typing input, a more friendly company name, better brand recognition and balance. Little wonder o's are taking over the world!
NOTE: When you are lOOking for a marketable name it may be worth taking the time to consider the double 'o' but remember it will not automatically provide a quality product or service, which will ultimately determine the success of your business. Recent evidence suggests that double 'o' syndrome has become so rife that potential customers are beginning to confuse companies. So be warned, double 'o' syndrome isn't always a good thing!
This articles was written by Thomas Jenkins the chief web designer at one of the world's leading web design companies; JKomp - www.jkomp.com - provide hi-tech, hgih speed, high quality web design to medium to large businesses. JKomp is based in the UK but serves clients across the globe. JKomp.com - Elite Web Design Professionals!
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