Whatchu Talkin’ About Willis?
Re-branding and corporate name changing initiatives are commonplace in the branding world. It’s only human nature that it takes time for a new name to catch on once we’ve gotten used to the old one. That’s why in June, it will take some time to get used to the new identity of the nation’s tallest skyscraper. The Sears Tower as we’ve known it since 1973 will officially be renamed the Willis Tower. The London-based insurance broker, Willis Group Holdings is consolidating its Chicago offices and will acquire the building’s naming rights. How will local Chicagoans embrace the new name? Being such an iconic and international landmark, I imagine it may take months, if not years for the new name to catch on.
By: Kelly Wilson
Brand of the Day
......................................................................................................................................................................
Aunt Jemima got its start in 1889 when Chris Rutt and Charles Underwood developed Aunt Jemima, the first ready mix. In 1890 R.T. Davis bought the company and brought Aunt Jemima to life by hiring a live spokeswoman, Nancy Green. In 1926 the Quaker Oats Company bought Aunt Jemima and that is where it has been ever since. At this time Aunt Jemima was known only for its pancakes but in 1968, waffles and syrup were thrown into Aunt Jemima’s breakfast entourage. Today you can find a variety of Aunt Jemima’s breakfast meals to add to your morning.
DID YOU KNOW? There have been 7 spokeswomen who have been portrayed as Aunt Jemima.
By: Lindsay Dunmyer
Brand of the Day
Getting its beginning in 1845, today JELL-O is the largest selling prepared dessert. It all began when Peter Cooper acquired the first patent for a gelatin dessert. The new gelatin product did not go over well and nothing happened with it for over 50 years, until Pearl Wait in 1897. A cough syrup manufacturer in Leroy, New York, Wait obtained the patent and decided to add fruit flavoring to the Read more
Pfizer – Wyeth Merger
On January 25th, Pfizer leapfrogged over the tradition of buying smaller research companies to purchase Wyeth for 68 billion dollars. With their forces combined, Pfizer/Wyeth becomes the 4th largest US-based company; Exxon, Walmart, and Proctor & Gamble hold the top three spots. The merger process can be complicated and delicate to finagle on the finance end but the branding or re-branding process should be approached with just as much care.
During a re-branding of this size it is important to approach the naming process with an open mind; having the larger company name always win out over the smaller company name might not always be the best choice for company morale or client impressions. The four naming options, as I see them are:
Read more
A Branding Mission From Our Government
The branding mission, should you choose to accept, is to re-brand No Child Left Behind.
On February 4th, Arne Duncan, our new Secretary of Education, shared his vision with Michelle Block on All Things Considered. Mr. Duncan considers quality education to be “the civil rights issue of our generation.” With this rhetoric you can trust he is not kidding around when he challenged all of us in the branding industry to “repackage and rename” the education reform set to replace or improve upon “No Child Left Behind.” This is quite the linguistic challenge because not only does this name need to inspire the inclusion and betterment of all American children but it also needs to rebuild bipartisan consensus on education reform! Read more
The Perfect FIT
......................................................................................................................................................................
With New Year’s not far behind us, I, like most of the population, have decided that this is the year to get in shape, be fit and be healthy. In my quest for this seemingly “every-year” resolution, I’ve spent quite a good deal of time at my local fitness center. Granted, I go to the YMCA which is within a mile of where I live and work, but being in this fitness frame of mind, I’ve been wondering about gym names and the types that exist. Some top of mind examples include:
Read more
Making a Mark with Brand Punctuation
Brand namers are constantly searching for new and innovative ways to utilize the 26 letters of the English alphabet. Perhaps the answer is beyond those letters. A punctuation mark in your brand name not only helps it stand out from the crowd, but, if it is truly distinctive, can even be registered and protected as part of your trademark.
Look at how these brands have used a little punctuation in a big way:
E*Trade
Consumer identification with the asterisk between E and Trade is so strong that the punctuation itself is part of E*Trades registered trademark. The asterisk has also been extended across E*Trade's marketing materials, serving as a calling card for the brand.
Yahoo!
If a name ever needed an exclamation point, Yahoo was it. Without added punctuation the word Yahoo was at risk for coming across as an insult or as sarcasm. The exclamation point forces audiences to read the name as it was intended, as a celebratory shout. The simple mark has become as much a part of the name as the letters themselves.
Häagen-Dazs
If you think that this name is simply using traditional diacritics to stay true to its foreign heritage, think again. The umlaut in Häagen-Dazs is as meaningless as the name itself. The brand simply uses two made up words with cleverly placed punctuation in order to appeal to upscale audiences seeking a super-premium ice cream import.
Contributed by Maghan Cook
Super Bowl Brands: GoDaddy
......................................................................................................................................................................
Move over Janet Jackson, your wardrobe malfunction isn’t the only risqué entry in the Super Bowl history books. GoDaddy.com, the world’s largest online domain name registrar, will run one 30 second advertisement during the 2009 Super Bowl that will be sure to catch your eye—if it airs.
GoDaddy has a losing record against the FOX network. Last year, Fox refused to air GoDaddy’s “Exposure” ad starring IndyCar® Series driver Danica Patrick. Instead, GoDaddy ran another ad directing viewers to visit the GoDaddy site to see “Exposure”. Also, in 2005 Fox refused to give a GoDaddy ad its encore performance after NFL officials questioned content.
Read more
Superbowl brands: Hyundai
......................................................................................................................................................................
Company: Hyundai Motor America
Career Highlights: A rookie in the SuperBowl lineup, Hyundai took the field last year to unveil its Genesis luxury sedan. During two spots, the Genesis is compared to luxury brands like Mercedes, BWM and Lexus. The commercial touts the Genesis as more spacious than the BMW 7-Series, but priced like the 3-Series. Narration by Jeff Bridges and the tagline “Think about it” help set the Genesis up as a thoughtful alternative to high-priced luxury.
Offensive Strategy: Hyundai played off of our curiosity and our desire to be savvy shoppers. In the first commercial, we saw the car, but we didn’t know who made it until the very end. In the second
Read more
Super Bowl Brands: Pepsi
......................................................................................................................................................................
PepsiCo has initiated some intense renovations since the end of its 40-year relationship with Ad agency BBDO. With several of its beverage brands undergoing facelifts, Pepsi may use Super Bowl 44 as a bit of a debutante ball.
Pepsi Cola, famous for using comical celebrity endorsements in its super bowl spots, will likely put a different spin on its ads this year. The brand seems to be borrowing a bit of President Obama’s ‘hope’ equity with a new, optimistic, “Refresh everything” theme as well as a new logo. While last year’s ad dragged Justin Timberlake across NYC, this year may employ a more inspirational theme.
Read more