Animal loving of epic proportions.
In an effort to make this spacerock an even better place for all, we pledge ourselves for a minimum of 5 pro bono projects per year for non profit organisations that promote unity, equality, animal rights & our planet's well being.
That's why when we were asked to give a hand in the making of a new animal welfare organization, we jumped right in,
And the name given to it was Keitargos.
Which means nothing in particular.
But before explaining why the president of the organisation and the whole board unanimously cheered for this proposal...let's get a bit nerdy on brand name theory.
A popular belief about brand naming, is that a name must be pretty simple, it must be instantaneously understood and straighforward, because people will not spend an extra second trying to figure it out and you 'll lose their attention.
Well, that's not quite right. Being straightforward and simple is great. But it's not enough.
A brand name's main function is to distinguish the brand and inspire people to engage with the brand.
To make the brand memorable and relatable.
To place the brand in the center of a story that is hard to pass on or to forget.
And all of the above can be achieved with brand names that are completely ambiguous, enigmatic and not at all straightforward.
"What does the name mean?"
"What does the name mean?" is not a sigh of failing to pick a proper name. It's someone's first act of engagement with your brand.
But for it to bear some fruits, you better have a great answer!
For ambiguous names like ASOS* or Nike** to be successful, they have to obey one simple rule: the answer to "what does the name mean" should feel like every great ending in cinema: totally unexpected yet unavoidable.
In other words, making perfect sense in a surprising way.
Now, back to our animal welfare organization.
'It sounds strong and Greek, but what does it mean?" was the question during the presentation.
So we answered hoping that our logic would make perfect sense in a surprising way.
Keitargos (Κείταργος) is a made up word. It comes from the very touching excerpt of Homer's epic, Odyssey, where Ulysses comes home after 10 years disguised as a beggar. No one recognizes him, except his old faithful dog Argos, who, after finally being reunited with his long gone friend, gives in to his old age and dies.
The phrase "κεῖτ᾿ Ἄργος" (where Κείταργος comes from) means "Argos rests" and the whole scene is an ancient testimony of the strong bond between human and animals.
The board was touched by the story, as hopefully their fund donors and potential volunteers will be. We teamed up with the talented graphic designer, Amvrosios Palamides for the brand identity and the rest... is animal-loving history.
*ASOS comes from the acronym As Seen On Screen, meaning that the clothes sent to you by the on-line mega retailer, are going to be as expected, with no unpleasant surprises.
** Nike comes from the name of the ancient greek goddess of Victory.