This is the first installment in a series of blogs following our journey toward the launch of AeroFit.
Wild Ideas, Digital Sticky Notes, and ChatGPT: How We Decided on the Name AeroFit
Naming a new product can be tricky, especially with multiple voices and competing opinions involved. During the research and development phase of what would eventually become known as AeroFit, we knew we had to nail the name and brand identity for the product. We solicited product name ideas from the entire team at OHD.
Some of the ideas we received were…fascinating! Leaving no stone unturned, we, of course, also asked ChatGPT. Here is the prompt we used:
"give me new product name suggestions for a new respirator fit testing technology that uses ambient aerosol to measure the proper fit of a mask. This product counts particles to measure the leak rate of n95 and other respirators"
We compiled a list of all submissions, whether human or AI-generated, and conducted a workshop with team members from every department. Using the online collaboration tool Miro, we wrote each submitted name on a digital "sticky note." After reviewing our fair share of duds and debating extensively, we narrowed our list, cast our votes, and selected a few leading names for the final round of review by our leadership team.
Ultimately, AeroFit was the name that gained conviction on our team as it combined aerosol technology with the word “fit” and, frankly, it just felt right as a complementary companion to our signature fit tester, the QuantiFit2.
Laser Logos and Napkin Sketches
Fresh off the successful naming exercise, we turned our attention to designing a logo and brand. Our vision was for the logo to feature lasers and particles, which are two critical elements of AeroFit’s condensation nuclei counting (CNC) technology.
The initial back-of-the-napkin sketch is now part of OHD lore:
Its feeble attempt to blend these elements actually gave our designer a starting point that led to many, many, (did we say many?) iterations.
After staring at a seemingly-endless string of less-than-desirable options, our designer submitted his preferred logo concepts for our consideration. It was love at first sight. The modern aesthetic of the final mark features a laser striking one particle of a particular size, which we learned from Dr. Tim Gordon, the Director of our Aerosol Research Lab, is fundamental to an accurate CNC-based respirator fit test.
After many hours of staring at screens and soliciting feedback, we landed on this beauty as the foundation for the AeroFit brand. We hope you love it as much as we do, but to be honest, we’re still a little partial to the napkin sketch.
Ready to see AeroFit in action?
We're hosting monthly virtual demos to go over features and answer questions. Register here or sign up for our emails to get updates on our journey.