Opel Vivaro - A Name with a Message

FOR RELEASE: June 20, 2001

Opel Vivaro - A Name with a Message

Finding the right way to express a unique vehicle's character

Rüsselsheim - Parents-to-be know the problem: it's not so easy to come up with a name for the child. But whilst many little Sarahs and Toms may meet their namesakes at school, automobile manufacturers have to be even more creative when naming their new products: Their vehicle should not only be given a unique name, it must also fit the image of the marque and the product's characteristics.

"We wanted to be able to protect the name internationally; it had to be easy to pronounce in many countries, easy to remember and instinctive," adds Peter Schmid describing the additional requirements for naming a model. The head of the marketing department at General Motors Europe was involved in finding a name for the new Opel Vivaro and briefed the naming agency "Interbrand Newell and Sorell" based near London. The renowned English specialists had already helped to find the right names for the Opel models Calibra, Vectra, Movano and Zafira.

Before the word-coining experts put their heads together, however, they had to know for whom and for what they were looking for a name. The advanced concept of the Vivaro and its highly expressive design needed to be incorporated in the name, and in addition the name would have to relate to the Movano, the name of its larger brother in the commercial vehicle sector. It went without saying that the last letter should be an "o". Since the launch of the first Vectra in 1987 all the names of Opel's passenger cars have ended in "a", those of the commercial vehicles in "o".

With the aid of special computer programs and creativity workshops the specialists at "Interbrand Newell and Sorell" drew up a list with numerous names based on this briefing. These suggestions were considered - for possible negative associations in various languages as well as any legal objections. Schmid: "Lawyers looked into whether the names were still not patented and that they were able to be registered." In this way, four names for the new transporter generation were short-listed. The market research results - potential buyers of commercial vehicles in the major sales markets were interviewed - tipped the scales in the end for Vivaro. "The reaction to this name was very positive," remembers Peter Schmid, "just as it was for the vehicle itself."