Does this domain name pass the billboard test? I’d say no, what do you think?

Today I had a meeting in the South Bay, and on my way down I passed a billboard that caught my eye, it as bright orange and it had a catchy line that probably draws a lot of people in – “How do you want to feel?” Here’s what the billboard looks like so you can see it for yourself:

canndescent-billboard-sf

There’s a topic that I heard early-on in the domain industry called the “billboard test” and it has been anchored in my mind ever since I first head about it. I’m pretty sure Rick Schwartz came up with the idea but don’t quote me on that, if he’s reading this he can tell me if I have that right…at any rate, he was the first person I heard talk about it. The idea is – if someone is driving by a billboard with your domain on it, can they easily remember it and get to your site later on?

In this case, the company here is called Canndescent, which I get – they combined the words cannabis and scent. Makes sense, and for those who are wondering what they do, they sell marijuana, in this case “luxury” marijuana.

We know the world can be intense. At Canndescent, we change this dynamic by creating luxurious cannabis products in five signature effects—Calm, Cruise, Create, Connect, and Charge. If you can answer the simple question, “How do I want to feel?” you can use our effects and ultra-premium products to curate your cannabis experience to maximize life to the fullest. Pick up some Canndescent today to turn down the noise, unlock the moment, and be your best self. (Source – Canndescent.com)

First, how crazy is it that we’re at a time in the world where there are billboards for pot? Okay, I digress, onto the topic at hand here. The name – Canndescent. I had to actually do a double-take myself to see if the name had one or two n’s. While it’s true that Cannabis has two N’s, driving by at 65 MPH (or 75 MPH as it seems most people go on the freeway) it would be tough to know exactly how it is spelled.

IMO, this name does not pass the billboard test. Not the end of the world, the solution here would be to buy Candescent.com, that way, anyone who gets confused still ends up in the right place. Right now the brand only owns Canndescent.com but if I were in their shoes, I’d get the domain with one “N” to capture the additional traffic from people who spell it wrong.

That’s what happens when you fail the billboard test, you have to buy more domains to cover all the things people “think” your name could be. What do you think? Does this pass or fail the billboard test?

I want to hear from you, comment and let your voice be heard!

Morgan Linton

Morgan Linton