When my husband Geoff and myself set out to create a premium alcohol-free product, we had a very distinct idea about what that product would look like – we even had a clear vision about how it should taste. So, getting the crux of the business just right felt like a relatively easy task – certainly in so far as we were aligned in our aims. However, where we struggled, and I believe many business owners do, was what to name this new, exciting, delicious drink.
In the beginning, we brainstormed potential names with family and friends, and shared ideas – some suggestions were really fantastic, but somehow none of them felt like ‘the one’. In our search for the ‘perfect’ name, we were told that naming a business does not have to be a deep and meaningful process, with the examples that Boots don’t sell boots and Curry’s don’t sell curry. Valid points no doubt, but for us this was meaningful – this was a business that we wholly believed in, one that had soul and purpose, that reflected a way of living we were truly passionate about – so the business name was central to bringing that to life.
So, we went back to the drawing board – almost literally. We put together a mood board of sorts, highlighting the core credentials of the product range and new No & Low category it sits in. We focussed on what was important to the people we were trying to speak to. We looked at the provenance of the drinks. The heritage. It came back to giving the brand real soul. Here was a drink that epitomised that back to nature emotion of being by the sea – crisp, refreshing, revitalising. Not everyone is lucky enough to live right by the ocean, and so we wanted to bring that feeling to people in every corner of the UK and beyond. And so, after a little more deliberation, we agreed on Sea Arch.
We loved the fact that there is a Sea Arch just around the headland from our home right here in Torquay where our product was conceived and created. When we started to really look at these iconic natural structures, we realised how much their symbolism aligned with our product and brand values.
Arches both man-made and natural, hold historical, spiritual and cultural meaning. They are often regarded as gateways to new horizons, which is so how we view our brand and where it sits in the non-alcoholic drinks category. As we leave the old style of drinking behind us, where alcohol dominates every social event, we are entering into the new, with a fresh perspective, one of a growing strength, openness and support around an increasing number of people who are gaining in confidence in their choices around alcohol – to cut back or not to drink at all.
For those entrepreneurs at the early stages of planning and brainstorming, I would argue that a name is in fact a vital part of the business journey. For us, it has said more about what we offer in two little words, than we could have hoped. Our brand name embodies the ‘raison d’etre’ of the business, and that is surely what we all aim to do.
