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Posted By: ChicagoBob Branding Advice - 01/02/19 11:59 PM
Members, I need some advice:

My nickname has been ChicagoBob for a long time and I also own the chicagobob.com domain. My full name is long and not great for marketing but I do own the domain name of my last name as well

I would like to you get the opinions of those of you willing on how I should brand myself as I plan to publish several of the songs I have written. Would you suggest I use my full name or the ChicagoBob nickname? BTW There was a blues singer Chicago Bob Nelson who has passed away.

(I recently posted my latest one, Love You More, on the BIAB user forum but haven't released this yet and would like to use that song with the branding discussed above)
Posted By: Tobias Re: Branding Advice - 01/03/19 03:14 AM
I would go with Chic-a-Bob. Just kidding. Nothing wrong with Chicago Bob. Bob Poznanovich is good too.
Other Ideas;
Bob Pozno
Bob Pozna
Bob Nanovich
Bob Whatabout
Bob Ingforapples
Bob 'itchin'
or just plain old Bob.
Okay, I'm being silly. But, I don't think it really matters all that much. The quality of your music will make your name into something. I don't think it works the other way around. That's just my opinion. I heard Dave Grouls say if he thought his band was gonna become something big he wouldn't have called it Foo Fighters. Pink Floyd is a really dumb name for a band. Arnold Dorsey wasn't a bad name for a vocalist but he changed to Engelbert Humperdinck. I think he would have done just fine with Arnold Dorsey. But, I myself go by my first nickname and my middle name. Toby Nathan. As far as performing music goes I don't use my last name until it's necessary. That's because it was getting old having people speak to me in Polish with an expectation that I might understand them. That, and too many people trying to pronounce my last name properly and fouling it up for 3 - 4 minutes while asking me if they got it correct. Then, way too many conversations about what part of Poland I came from, if I've ever been there, or if I'm related to so and so ...ski or so and so ...ski or so and so ...ski.
So, I save my last name for when they are writing a check. Then I just show my ID and let them figure it out from there.
Posted By: MarioD Re: Branding Advice - 01/03/19 11:53 AM
Since you already own ChicagoBob.com I would keep it ChicagoBob. This will keep it simple when people try to find you. YMMV
Posted By: David Snyder Re: Branding Advice - 01/03/19 01:57 PM
Bob,

I can't tell from the song you last posted which is country with a female singing. That makes you the producer/writer on this one, not the artist.

I have a feeling you are a singer-songwriter, if I am guessing right, and that your songs will be a lot of stories, and strong emotions, which is great.

If that is the case "Chicago Bob" would pigeon-hole you to certain extent as a blues player, or lounge act, that's the way it sounds to me.

I am thinking just use Bob and come up with a sing-songwriter stage name the way John Denver made up his name, or Bob Dylan, for that matter.

Maybe Bob Wheeler (just an idea) or anything that has a nice ring to it, or an allusion to someone you like. Think Elvis Costello.

OR--just use your real name. Or a modified version of it. Like Bob Victor. Or Bob Vick.

That is my two cents worth.

YMMV.
Posted By: ChicagoBob Re: Branding Advice - 01/03/19 05:13 PM
Thanks guys for your feedback. One thing I am not is a performer. I will be the producer/writer and in some instances there will only be instrumental songs.

Based on your feedback I think my own name makes sense or some version like Bobby Poz
Posted By: edshaw Re: Branding Advice - 01/04/19 07:45 PM
From ChicagoBob, we might expect blues.
From Bobby Poz, we might expect a sophisticated sound.
Posted By: Jim Fogle Re: Branding Advice - 01/06/19 07:03 PM
I would continue with Chicago Bob (Go Bears since the Packers are not in the playoff hunt!). There's no need to reinvent the wheel while also loosing whatever name recognition you may have built so far.
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