Rating: 
Summary: Looking beyond the obvious...
Review: What I enjoyed about Wordcraft is the way Frankel examines the everyday, and in many ways, obvious use of "name" in branding and how that effects consumer patterns (and sometimes corporate). That being said, it is more then just the name, but the color, font and movement of the name. This book coupled with a book by Paco Underhill (Why We Buy)should be required reading for first year namers/branders, etc.
Rating:
Summary: Names that tell a story
Review: Word Craft is the insider's guide to how an elite group of writers - or namers, as they might call themselves - splice, dice, twist and otherwise invent words that become brand names. Frankel has spent the majority of his professional life running in this intimate and self-selecting world, and with authority and irreverence he clues us in to the truths (and half-truths!) behind the names of some of the most ubiquitous brands in business and popular culture today. The element that most endeared me to Mr. Frankel's testimony is the personal thread that holds the book together. He shares the successes and failures of Quiddity, the naming firm he founded at a time when the Internet needed people like Frankel to invent and tell their stories. He also shares myriad experiences as a hired gun - smart and savvy creatives to whom the boutique naming firms pay big bucks for help on projects whose names find their way into the vernacular. He guides the reader through high stakes creative sessions and client meetings where every moment is scripted, where a single word goes for the price of a luxury car. His description of the process is as fascinating as the results it leads to. This is a highly readable book that has earned its place on the shelf in my office alongside recent pieces by the likes of David Brooks and Jonathan Franzen.
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