The O'Reilly Factor: From Nickname to Brandname

Recently, I had dinner with an old friend of mine, Bill O'Reilly, the star of the ever so popular, Fox News Channel O'Reilly Report, I mean the O'Reilly "Factor."

Years ago I would casually refer to Bill as "The O'Reilly Factor," a term describing Bill's unique demeanor and belief in seeking the how and why of every news story.

It didn't surprise me when he and the Fox News Network decided to use my moniker for his show "The O'Reilly Factor."

It was and is simply a great choice because the name is unique and describes Bill as a no nonsense, no spin personality who wants to get to the truth.

Bill knows something about marketing which is exactly what one wants to do when naming a product or service.

First you want the name to be different -- unique; there were and still are no other news shows with this name;

Second you want the name to describe what the product or service is or does for the customer; (do I even have to go into this one?)

And finally, it must have good recall -- it must be bold, remembered by clients, customers, viewers even Presidents.

Bill always had good business sense and his decision to adopt a name change illustrates this point.

Let's admit this. The President of the United States would never have referred to him as 'Factor,' a distinction that few journalists or television news executives can boast, if Bill had simply reported and let other decide.

If there is anything we can learn from Bill O'Reilly, it is the importance of selecting the right brand name for your product or service.

It's simple -- Bill O'Reilly understands marketing and has another career ahead of him whenever he wants to change his vocation.

Oh yes, he also knows that branding must always have marketing in mind!

This is Dr. John Tantillo, the marketing doctor thanking you for stopping by and inviting you to make marketing your business priority.

To have Dr. John Tantillo speak at your next meeting, feel free to contact him @ 212 679 5700 (ext 11).

Dr. John Tantillo is a behaviorally trained applied research psychologist who is internationally recognized for his expertise at diagnosing the real factors that impact target markets. His basic principles of using psychology as a catalyst to effective marketing-find out what people want and deliver it to them.