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Heirloom

@heirloom

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Heirloom is a #brandstrategy firm creating names that resonate and brands that last.
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At Heirloom, we create demand and competitive advantage for brands by defining their strategic foundations and crafting their identities. Our goal? To help create intangible value that lasts. Swipe to learn more about what we do. Have a project you’d like to talk about? Get in touch with us at the link in bio. #Heirloom #naming #branding #brandstrategy #brandidentity by @heirloom
AI can generate ideas faster than ever. But faster doesn’t always mean better. Heirloom Principal @RobMeyerson was recently featured in Issue 44 of @BrandersMagazine, sharing his perspective on the growing role of AI in branding—and the risks that come with spreading ideas before questioning whether they’re actually good ones. As Rob puts it: “One danger of AI in branding is that it’s often wrong. And it’s the most efficient distribution mechanism for bad ideas the industry has ever seen.” AI can support the process. But it has a bad habit of reviving debunked branding myths and frameworks that have very little value. Read more thoughts on AI and branding in the latest issue of Branders Magazine. Link below. #branding #marketing #brandstrategy #AI #naming by @heirloom
Between lack of preparation and the fear of embarrassment, conference room “namestorms” tend to yield a dozen or two mediocre ideas. Then the lawyers shoot most of those down. It’s amateur hour. Heirloom starts with strategy, develops hundreds of candidates, and screens them before you see them. Led by Rob Meyerson, author of Brand Naming, we’ve developed names for startups and big brands like Flex, HPE, and Salesforce. Get to the right name. Avoid the whiteboard full of disappointment. Have a naming project you’re working on? We’d love to chat #naming #brandstrategy #branding #heirloom #marketing by @heirloom
Thanks to @andrewtindall, Chief Growth Officer at System1, for namedropping Rob in his recent article for @thedrummag, “Dull but distinctive? Recognizable rubbish will not grow your brand.” Rob’s point, which Andrew is echoing here, should be obvious: When we talk about brands differentiating, the goal isn’t for customers to describe those brands as different. The goal is that they describe them differently than they describe competitors. Obvious, right? But believe it or not, some academic papers cited in arguments against the importance/effectiveness of differentiation did exactly that—they asked people “Would you call this brand different?” It’s a weird question, and shouldn’t be the basis of a case against differentiation. Read Andrew’s article for more, and check out Rob’s original article in WARC (paywall), “What does Byron Sharp’s research really tell us about differentiation?” by @heirloom
Two NBA teams. Two rebrands. Two very different ways of looking back. 🏀 This season you might notice a different look for the Houston Rockets and Minnesota Timberwolves. Let’s talk about it. #Branding #Rebrand #BrandStrategy #Basketball #NBA Some NBA teams are going back to their roots. 🏀 The Houston Rockets and Minnesota Timberwolves unveiled revised identities ahead of the 2026–27 season, taking very different approaches to their respective histories. Houston brings back the “Ketchup & Mustard.” 🌭 The iconic red and yellow are back—but this isn’t simply a throwback. The Rockets are taking recognizable pieces of their history and building them into a new identity. Championship colors → restored Historic typography → modernized Space City → amplified New + old symbols → unified Old favorites, new system. Championship-era colors and typography meet the Dunkstronaut, pinstripes, and Houston’s Space City story. Instead of choosing one era, the Rockets pulled from several. The Wolves went back to the woods. 🌲 Minnesota revived its original blue, green, and white. And brought back one of the most beloved elements in franchise history: the trees. Original colors → restored Tree era → revived Wolf identity → evolved Multiple eras → blended Minnesota could have simply brought back the famous Kevin Garnett-era tree identity. Instead, it combined eras. Original colors, old Shep references, the trees, and a modernized wolf. Even the uniforms contain tiny storytelling details, including five trees above the jock tag representing the starting five. But it’s not a copy-and-paste comeback. Original colors. The iconic trees. A modernized wolf. New typography. Minnesota blended recognizable pieces from different eras into something distinctly new. Both rebrands pulled from the past, blending them with new elements to create something that feels both fresh and nostalgic. So… who did it better: Rockets or Timberwolves? 👀 by @heirloom
Just a few months of 2026 left, and some of the most recognizable brands are still switching things up. Here are a few more recent logo changes that’ve caught our attention: 🏎️ McLaren: Taps back into its heritage with a classic wordmark. 🌴 Tropical Smoothie Cafe: Modernizes its identity with bold typography and a fresh tropical-inspired icon. ✨ Carter’s: Trades its traditional wordmark for playful, handwritten lettering. 💻 Intuit: Shifts to lowercase lettering with a “quirky” initial i. 📱 Instagram: Moves from its iconic script-style wordmark to a simpler, more contemporary typeface designed for clarity and versatility. 💊 Novo Nordisk: Shortens its name to “Novo” and simplifies its longtime identity with a more compact logo. While some brands are embracing minimalism, others are leaning into heritage, personality, and distinctiveness. Alll six of these brand faced a common challenge: modernizing without losing significant equity or recognizability. Which brand(s) do you think did it best? #branding #rebrand #branding #brandstrategy #logodesign by @heirloom
From written text to a designed wordmark, how a name looks matters. @RobMeyerson joined @Phillip_Oakley on @ThePOShowPodcast to discuss why length, readability, and visual presence deserve a place in the naming process. For more on what to consider when choosing a brand name, listen to the full episode at the link in our bio. 🎙️ #BrandNaming #BrandStrategy #ThePOShow #Podcast #Naming by @heirloom
Just in time for kickoff, the story behind another kinda weird @nfl team name: The @clevelandbrowns. @robmeyerson shares the origin. Paul Brown was already a star football coach in Ohio. When he became the team's first coach, fans and journalists referred to the team as "Brown's team." It stuck, even though Paul Brown allegedly disliked it. Watch the video for more info on Paul Brown's "cover story" for the name, the not-Brown helmets, and the team mascot, Brownie the Elf. #nfl #football #clevelandbrowns #brandnaming #nflhistory #browns #DawgPound by @heirloom
A great brand name starts with an idea—but getting to the right one takes a process. 💡 A few weeks ago @RobMeyerson joined @Philip_Oakley on @ThePOShowPodcast to discuss the art of brand naming, from generating ideas to narrowing the options and finding a name clients can use with confidence. To listen to the full podcast and learn more about the thinking behind the name, visit the link below. 🎙️ #BrandNaming #BrandStrategy #ThePOShow #Podcast #Naming by @heirloom
2026 has seen its fair share of brand work, from Coca-Cola to Tinder. Looking back on all the logo updates, visual system extensions, repositionings, and rebrands we’ve seen so far, we’ve identified the biggest brand refreshes of the year—big brands and/or big changes. On a recent post about logo changes, @simoncharwey asked what we’ve observed and learned from these changes. Simon, great question!! One thing we see is that none of these are huge overhauls. Many involve changing one asset (e.g., an icon or wordmark) while retaining others. That could be because of backlash against more dramatic changes (e.g., Cracker Barrel) or simply recognition of the fact that strong brand assets should be protected and preserved. Another, related trend we’re watching is the reintroduction of retired/retro assets, like Sprite’s Lymon or Burger King’s recent return to a 20-year-old logo (with some modernization). What’s a big brand refresh you’ve noticed in recent years? And who else could use a refresh before the year is over? #brandrefresh #branding #brand #marketing #logos by @heirloom
Instagram changed its wordmark. But do users really care? 👀 It’s been a month and a half since Instagram changed its wordmark. In a recent live conversation with Branders Magazine, Rob joined Steven Picanza and the founder of Branders Magazine, Luis Fernando Vergara, to discuss Instagram’s latest visual refresh. They discussed what’s actually changed, their takes on the pros and cons, and what it says about how established brands can evolve. Here’s a quick clip from the conversation. What do you think of Instagram’s new look? #branding #rebrand #instagram #logos #brandstrategy by @heirloom
In case you missed it, here’s some recent branding news from the last few How Brands Are Built newsletters over the summer. Want to stay up to date with the latest branding news? Subscribe to How Brands Are Built a newsletter at the link in bio. #ICYMI #Heirloom #HowBrandsAreBuilt #newsletter #branding by @heirloom

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