Quirky Names For Cake Flavors? Does It Help Or Not?
Business By AKA_cupcakeshoppe Updated 8 May 2008 , 2:15pm by cakeryluv
As a customer, I do not appreciate quirky names, but I don't "theme dress" either (halloween aplique sweat shirts, Christmas sweaters, etc). I think the quirky names might have an attraction for some, but I'm more of a "cut to the chase" type gal. (I refuse to order to Starbucks as a vinte, it's a large for heaven's sake).
I so freakin' agree!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I go in starbucks, hold my hands about 6" apart and order "Cappacino ... vanilla ... about this big." One time they ask me "dry or wet?" I stared at her and said, "I have no idea what the hell that means. My coffee is usually in liquid form."
I REFUSE to order the small cinnamon rolls at Burger King because the name is stupid. I refuse to be forced to say (insert twangy redneck voice here) "CINNY-MINI'S PLEASE!" Just call them cinnamon rolls!!
My husband called the 800# of a popular fast food chain when he ordered a medium fry and got a small. Corporate called him back and explained they don't have small so the small is medium (don't EVEN get me started on this crap!). She asked if he could read the menu ok and he told her, "Lady, it's a burger and fries. I shouldn't have to learn a second language to order a burger and fries!"
I hate cutesy. I hate names that make me HAVE to ask "what is it?" I hate names that force me to feel degraded and humiliated when I say it. I would hate to own a shop where I have to repeat over and over what it is.
If the name of your business doesn't tell people what it is you do, then you've named your business wrong. Same with the menus.
I've actually rec'd a number of comments from my brides of "We read your menus and we know what the food is!" I can name it the fanciest-danciest french name in the world and many people would only respond, "Sounds nice, but what the heck is it?"
(I realize I'm ranting, but understand that I'm in the middle of my 5-day fraternity catering this week and the sleep deprivation is getting to me already. My alarm goes off at 4:45 a.m. and I don't get home until 8:30 p.m. .... So why am I on CC instead of getting to bed?
)
Guess you've never had the "Rooty tooty fresh 'n fruity" then! LOL!!!
I use normal names for all my flavors. I simplify the names so people can get an idea what the cake may taste like from the name without listing every darn thing in there. I do have one goofy name for one of my flavors just because that is what a lot of my customers began calling it. Itâs my chocolate Cookie Monster cake. You can probably guess whatâs in it.
I donât like cute names either, especially ones that have nothing to do with the actual product itself. Your niece Brenda may be a sweet, down to earth, fun person but what the heck does that have to do with cake? Iâd feel dumb ordering a cake named after someone âuh yeah Iâd like the Brenda please and could you throw a few Kyleâs and Annaâs in there too?â Thatâs got an unpleasant cannibal vibe to it.
The cute names donât bother me when they are easily translated and donât sound like baby talk. Death by Chocolate is a pretty popular name. When Iâve ordered it as a dessert at a restaurant I expect to get some seriously rich, chocolaty cake. I donât even bother reading the description because the name says it all. Itâs a cute name but not so cute itâs ridiculous and it hints to what youâre getting. Something like Ooey Gooey Rich and Chewy, youâve totally lost me AND Iâm going to feel like a goob ordering it.
I like them if I can say them. I would feel like an idiot if I stumbled through the name when I could say chocolate cake with ganache and strawberry filling and chocolate buttercream. If I can pronounce it or it isn't hard to say, I really like it though. I've been on some cupcake shop sites where I couldn't pronounce several, and I clicked to a different site where I could pronounce it. If it sounds like a foreign language and I can't say it, I wouldn't order it.
I agree with leannewinslow- sometimes they are appropriate sometimes-not. The younger crowd seems to enjoy them and I think it makes them sound more intrigueing. I know if I see 'evil chocolate temptation' on a menu I probably better check it out just to see how much of a temptation it is. But my older family members and friends probably wouldn't want to mess with the hoolabaloo. So if you're doing a shop I'd say play with some but not all of them. Then you have something for everyone.
I agree with Homemade-Goodies, good descriptive names re good (marble-yellow/white and chocolate, strawberries n cream-vanilla and strawberry, neopliton-cho, vanilla and strawberry...) are all good. But someones name or strange words are harder to sell unless you are ben and jerrys or moes or an ice cream parlor
As I'm putting my menu together, I've actually created two different sections, one for "Standard" cake flavors and one for "Specialty Gourmet Cakes". My specialty cakes now have names, but I don't consider them too quirky, most of them describe the cake flavor like Creamsicle, Banana Chocolate Delight, Chocolate Lover's Truffle Torte...that sort of thing. I added detailed descriptions under the names so you know exactly what you're going to get.
I agree that naming them after people might be a bit too quirky. I wouldn't want to eat a Brenda, and probably wouldn't order one either. 
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