Background: Although this ice-cream brand's name sounds like it originated in a quaint Scandinavian village, in truth the name was created from two nonsensical words and dreamed up by an entrepreneur in the Bronx.
Strategy: Regardless of where Häagen-Dazs ice cream comes from, the name evokes a sense of place that feels authentic. A brand's authenticity does not have to be literal, as long as it resonates with the consumers buying the product. Still, the tactic isn't foolproof, as one failed competitor -- Frusen Glädjé -- that can attest.
