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October 14, 2009

Netbook World Trembles as HP Puts Compaq Naming and Branding Back to Work in the USA

HP owned Compaq is making a comeback as an "ultra-inexpensive" computer brand, offering cheap notebooks that might cause problems in the netbook world.

Compaq is very popular in Asia but has been languishing in the USA. As of this week, HP is hoping that USA consumers will opt to drop $399 for a loaded notebook over a skimpy netbook.

HP acquired the Compaq brand in 2002 but shoved it aside soon after.

The new computers - one laptop and two desktops - proudly bear the Compaq name and you can get the cheapest one - The Presario 4010f - for a mere $309.

James Kendrick feels that people who are considering buying a netbook "strictly based on price" should really take a second look.

HP has for some time claimed that they have a "two tiered" strategy with Compaq. According to Empoprise, back in 2002, HP gave this cryptic statement about how the brand name would be handled:

"In the consumer and retail arenas, both the HP and Compaq brands will stay in place for certain product lines because of "varying brand equity throughout the world," according to Zitzner. Thus the Compaq Presario line will stay as it is, and HP's Pavilion line will also remain. In the handheld computing space, though, HP's Jornada devices and Compaq's iPaq PDAs will morph into HP iPaq devices. Wireless product lines will carry the HP brand. Got all that?"

Hmmm. That didn't really happen. What did happen was that Compaq became a down-market name you'd find in big box computer stores without much of an identity at all. But as of this month, Compaq is back with us and set to possibly end the netbook reign trend. The brand is worth billions overseas, so breathing new life into it in the USA ought to be rather simple.

Technorati Tags: HP, Compaq, netbook, presario, laptop, desktop, computer

Posted by William Lozito at October 14, 2009 8:08 AM
Posted to Brand Naming | Branding | Company Naming | Marketing | Product Naming | Technology

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