#20: Snipd—What Your Brand Name is Really Saying to Customers
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May 19, 2025
Naming a product might seem easy, but it can make or break your brand. Discover why clever names can confuse customers and why instant clarity is king. Learn about the podcast app Snipd as a case study, highlighting the importance of clear messaging. Explore the 'curse of knowledge' that can cloud communication and get practical tips for creating effective taglines. The hosts share anecdotes and marketing insights that underscore how a simple shift can lead to irresistible branding.
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question_answer ANECDOTE
Snipd Podcast App Case Study
The podcast app Snipd uses AI to let listeners clip and remember parts of podcasts with quotes and summaries.
The name Snipd led to confusion without context, illustrating the importance of clear brand naming.
insights INSIGHT
The Curse of Knowledge Explained
The curse of knowledge means you can’t imagine how little others know about your product.
This causes confusion if you explain too much or assume understanding without clarifying.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
Reframe Negatives as Positives
Use taglines or packaging copy to reframe negatives as positives, differentiating your product.
For example, "Real food needs to be refrigerated" turns refrigeration into a quality sign.
Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode
In this book, Donald Miller presents the StoryBrand Framework, a proven system to help businesses effectively communicate with their customers. The framework is based on the seven universal elements of powerful stories, which include identifying the customer's desires, problems, and the role of the guide who provides a plan and calls to action. Miller emphasizes the importance of simplifying brand messages, creating clear and compelling marketing materials, and positioning the brand as a guide rather than a hero. This approach has helped numerous businesses, from small startups to large corporations, to significantly improve their customer engagement and revenue.
The Art of Explanation
Ross Atkins
Coming up with a product name or tagline seems simple. Until you have to do it. You brainstorm, you debate, and you finally land on something… only to find yourself explaining it to people over and over. That’s the real test of a name: if you have to explain it, it’s not working. The truth is, your name or tagline is doing more heavy lifting than you realize. It’s your first impression, elevator pitch, and clearest hook all rolled into a few words. So why do some names work instantly while others fall flat? And how do you make sure yours is good?
In today’s episode, hosts Donald Miller and Kyle Reed break down the art and science of naming and tagline creation, using the podcast app Snipd as a case study. They explore how a name that sounds clever can still confuse your audience, and why instant clarity always beats creativity. You’ll hear a practical breakdown of how to avoid the “curse of knowledge,” how to test if your name really works, and what makes a tagline stick in someone’s brain. Listen in to discover the simple shifts that make your message irresistible.
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Why That Worked – Presented by StoryBrand.ai 
