ZEENAT MOORAD: What’s in a name?
Name changes tend to reflect a shift in corporate strategy or the move from selling one specific kind of product to a wide range of items. Some brands just want to shed an image problem
For brands, nothing says "image overhaul" better than a shorter, snappier moniker. Name changes tend to reflect a shift in corporate strategy or the move from selling one specific kind of product to a wide range of items. Some brands just want to shed an image problem, so they change their name — and the vaguer the better. Tobacco giant Philip Morris picked Altria, and Steinhoff Asia is to be rebranded under the name Greenlit. Last week, two Nasdaq-listed companies revealed new brand identities. Dunkin’ Donuts is becoming just Dunkin’. Coffee is its main business — drinks actually make up 60% of its sales, according to The New York Times. One can’t help but think how much more attractive the business looks as a beverage purveyor rather than a peddler of sugar-laden treats. Multinationals like PepsiCo, Coca-Cola and Nestlé, all of which are growing their portfolios, could perhaps take more notice? Trimming down Diet company Weight Watchers, which doesn’t want to be known as a diet co...
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