H&R Block

Overview

H&R Block was revitalizing its organization to expand beyond its traditional role as a reliable, approachable tax expert. Through acquisitions and new business development, H&R Block had developed a portfolio of diversified product and service offerings. Individual marketing managers made ad hoc naming decisions, resulting in a proliferation of names that confused consumers and diluted the master brand. H&R Block urgently needed guidelines to streamline the naming practices and establish a company-wide process for naming that was simple, consistent, and logical.

Challenge

Landor was asked to create a flexible naming system to help expand the brand perception, while building and leveraging only the master brand. The system had to be an integrated element of the brand identity system that Landor had already created for H&R Block. Landor would have to facilitate the internal development of consistent and strategically on-brand names by training the key managers to use the guidelines.

Solution

Landor developed a three-tiered descriptive naming system to support the brand strategy. Benefit descriptors help expand perceptions of H&R Block, especially in the rapidly growing financial services category. The nomenclature framework helped organize the products and services, and showed which style of name was appropriate at each level. A decision tree guided name development, and a how-to section enabled managers to actually name products. The elements were consolidated to create the Naming Resource Manual, and today, this resource is available within the organization online.