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Summary
Sean Cole explores the complex, regulated world of pharmaceutical brand naming, featuring insights from Scott Piergrosi of Brand Institute and veteran namer Arlene Tech. The episode reveals how FDA rules against misleading claims and look-alike names force creators to invent unique, often abstract words with specific visual silhouettes. Listeners learn about the poetic and strategic processes behind famous names like Viagra, Prozac, and Lunesta, uncovering the hidden logic behind seemingly random drug titles.
Topics discussed
Sponsor messages from Buick and AT&T
Introduction: The mystery of pharmaceutical brand names
The Brand Institute's naming process and brainstorming
Sources for names: Dictionaries, science, and imagery
The accidental invention of the name Viagra
History of drug naming and the rise of abstract names
FDA regulations on safety and misleading claims
Visual distinctiveness and the 'skyline' test for names
Sponsor messages from Aquasana, Article, Squarespace, and Quince
The poetry and phonetics of drug naming
Case study: The narrative behind the name Toujeo
Credits and final sponsor messages
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