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Case StudyConsumer Goods

Naming Spotlight: Herman Miller’s “Mirra”

By June 3, 2017March 31st, 2023No Comments

Herman Miller needed a name for a new office chair. The chair was designed with the human body in mind, offering a wide range of ergonomic features. It was flexible and resilient enough to support the full range of seating positions and body movements throughout the day.

The name needed to be short, preferably a single word. It needed to support an upscale, more premium brand positioning. It also had to reflect the unique ergonomic design that differentiated this chair from competitive offerings. Finally, it needed to work well around the world.

Many initial name ideas failed NameStormers’ domestic and international trademark screenings. Also, the NameStormers listened to over 20 key Herman Miller professionals in sales offices around the world, soliciting their feedback after each round of creative naming. NameStormers was particularly interested in comments on potential linguistic problems, contemporary usage issues or cultural concerns. Feedback was collected and tabulated, key comments were highlighted by country, and names were ranked based upon overall worldwide acceptability. This information was shared with the Herman Miller core naming team throughout the process, and ultimately the Mirra name was selected.

Mirra, derived from mirror, leveraged the idea that the chair mirrored the movements of the body and joints. Mirra also came from the root “mira” as in “miraculous” flexibility, comfort and durability. It has proven to be a distinctive and memorable name around the world.

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