July 2, 2009
Can Brink's Company Name Change Maintain Its Brand Name Equity with Broadview Security?
Brink's has spun off its home security unit from its very well-known armored truck division and renamed it "Broadview."
This is a massive $120 million effort supported by a barrage of commercials featuring shady thugs breaking into suburban houses and being scared away by Broadview alarm systems. Their new tagline is "the next generation of Brink's Home Security," while their stock ticker will remain CFL, which stands for "Customers for Life."
Apparently, holding on to the Brink's name had licensing and taxation implications that were fearsome enough to warrant this name change.
A Broadview representative told AdWeek that the name was chosen because it "was meant to evoke 'broadband,' among other things" and that this is indicative of where the technology is heading.
Bob Allen, the company's president and CEO, also comments that "the new name is meant to reflect the wide range of services the company offers to both businesses and homes... [and] the name, and logo, are meant to convey the "active protection" provided by Brink's."
However, the company name change has received mixed reactions. For one, the word "home" is missing from the name, notes Security Systems News.
Whether your agree with the new company name or not, one must admit that this was quite an ambitious name change. It will be interesting to see if Broadview Security will be able to maintain the level of brand equity that Brink's Home Security built over the years.
Technorati Tags: Broadview, Broadview Security, Brinks Home Security, Brinks Name Change, Company Name Change, Renaming
Posted by William Lozito at 9:20 AM| Comments (0)
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June 29, 2009
GM Struggles to Corral Popular Penske Naming With Saturn Brand
Today's Wall Street Journal reminds me of the fact that sometimes two big names can be a mixed blessing.
Here I am thinking of the Saturn and Penske combination that has been created by celebrity driver and businessman Roger Penske's Penske Automotive Group with its purchase of GM's Saturn brand name.
An upsurge in interest in Saturn cars by Penske fans has been initially seen as a result of the deal, but GM is currently asking the (very relieved) Saturn dealers not to trumpet the name too loudly lest it dilute the beleaguered Saturn brand. GM still has a major interest here, as they will still make the Aura, VUE, and Outlook for the next 2 years, but will discontinue the Astra and Sky.
Penske, for his part, might outsource production to Renault Samsung Motors of Korea. In addition, Penske has also hinted that he might introduce an electric car under the Saturn name.
Penske has already agreed to keep the Saturn "look," stating that it has a certain "brand value," which most everyone understands to have a very loyal following.
The key, I believe, is to not only to keep the look, but to go back to the integrity of the meaning behind the brand itself.
For example, Penske shouldn't do to Saturn what GM did to Saab. 
Essentially, Saab was made more boring by GM making it much less exotic and Swedish.
Consider, on the other hand, Range Rover, which has changed hands a few times (for better or worse), but still has its own unique brand equity.
The simple question the people at Penske should ask is this: would they create a "Penske" mid-range sedan? If the answer is no, they need to compartmentalize the names as much as possible.
Frankly, Saturn itself is a brand in rehabilitation after GM did its best to mainstream it.
Technorati Tags: Saturn, Saturn Brand Name, Penske, GM Branding, GM Brands
Posted by William Lozito at 8:41 AM| Comments (0)
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June 26, 2009
NY MTA Declares Open Season on Subway naming - Barclays Bags Brooklyn
The New York Times seems a little anxious over the fact that London-based Barclay's Bank has attached its name to "the nexus of subway stops at Atlantic Avenue, Pacific Street and Flatbush Avenue" at a cost of $4 million.
This is part of the new plan to create a Barclay's Center (the new sports stadium for the New Jersey Nets) in the area by Atlantic Yards and essentially declares open season on the New York subway when it comes to naming rights.
The New York Times continues to state its amazement, writing "if a company can pay to get its name on any station, a New Yorker might wonder what's next: Coca-Cola Presents 59th Street-Columbus Circle?"
Well, yes. The Metropolitan Transport Authority (MTA) is even open to the idea of Taco Bell renaming Grand Army Station.
The New York Times' Freakomics blog also asks if the next step is "The "Bill Golden Gates Bridge," while jokingly suggesting that Subway should pay New York for getting all that free publicity.
As pointed out on Minyanville, "The possibilities are almost endless: There are 468 stations along the system's 26 lines and 722 miles of track. Advertisers already turn the inside of the subway's 6,400 cars into rolling billboards."
Interestingly, Minyanville also notes that when the subway was opened in 1904 it was meant to be ad-free.
The bloggers over in Chicago have already figured out what the Chicago Transport Authority (CTA) can do with some of the stops in that city, offering us nuggets like:
- Belmont LifeLube station
- 18th Street Blick station
- Clark/Division Viagra stop
- Diversey Starbucks stop
- Addison Axe station
However, while everyone in the UK knows Barclay's Bank, few in New York do.
This will definitely change.
Technorati Tags: Barclay's Center, New York Subway, Barclay's Station, Subway Naming
Posted by William Lozito at 8:07 AM| Comments (0)
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June 25, 2009
Back from the Auto Naming No-Man's Land, The Taurus Is Back!
The Ford Taurus is back after the new CEO Alan Mulally decided to resurrect the name after asking Ford executives in 2006 "How many billions of dollars does it cost to build brand loyalty around a name?"
This is exactly the question I would have liked to ask them!
He instructed his engineers to go ahead and "make the coolest vehicle that you can possibly make (and name it the Taurus)," and the result is now on the road.
The press likes it, as does pretty much anyone who sees it.
But the interesting thing to note is that the car is not the mid-range, erstwhile "flying potato" of the early 1990s. This is an upscale, full size luxury sedan priced between $27,000 and $38,000.
Autoblog calls it the "once and future king" and takes us down memory lane from the very first Taurus (1985) all the way to its demise in 2006. They also remind us that Ford briefly revived the Taurus name on the 500 in 2007, and that it went from "America's hope to America's rental lots."
Now, you will soon be able to get the Taurus SHO (Super High Output), which one Ford executive calls the "flagship sedan."
Although, to get one of these with all the bells and whistles, you're looking at an even higher price tag of $41,000.
The San Francisco Ford, Lincoln, Mercury blog says that "convincing consumers that the new Taurus is a Taurus is one thing; making them fork over 40 grand for one is another. Both are hurdles Ford will have to overcome to make the car a success in the market."
Applying the Taurus name to an upscale automobile is a big risk. The Taurus was the ultimate mid-range car - Detroit's answer to the Camry, not the Lexus.
Why would somebody want to pay luxury prices for a brand name that is indelibly associated with good value?
I don't know how this will play out for Ford, but for me, it will definitely be exciting to see the Taurus back on the road again.
Technorati Tags: Taurus, Ford Taurus, Auto Naming, Car Names, Ford Naming
Posted by William Lozito at 8:05 AM| Comments (0)
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June 23, 2009
Kodak Takes Away Our Kodachrome Film and Brand Naming
Kodak's Kodachrome color film is being retired after 74 years and there is much nostalgia for the brand name across the blogosphere, not least because of the famous Paul Simon song where he pleads "Mama don't take my Kodachrome away."
I note that despite the film's pedigree as the preferred film for the pro and amateur alike, very few people actually use the stuff anymore - even non digital photographers seem to have switched over to Fuji's Velvia, which may sound like a low-fat butter, but is actually "a contraction of Velvet Media."
Now, there's only one place in America that can even develop the Kodachrome film.
The Business Pundit blog calls this a "necessary but sad" retirement, while Doug Plummer's blog points out that "The film now joins the ranks of the Daguerreotype, Albumen, Kallitype, Palladiotype, Ozobrome, Artigue, Autochrome, Bromoil, and Polaroid," all brand names with great history and nostalgic value, but none which are still in use.
Most of us know Kodachrome not only from the song, but also from the famous 1985 National Geographic picture of the Afghan Girl, which was later updated by photographer Steve McCurry seventeen years later using Kodak Professional Ektachrome Film E100VS.
So what's the big deal?
Well, the name has stuck. It is catchy enough be included in a song lyric and it has been carefully associated with every spectrum of photography in the U.S.
Even though it accounts for less than one percent of Kodak's business, it is easily one of the most recognizable product names they stock - excuse me - used to stock.
Technorati Tags: Kodachrome, Kodachrome Brand Name, Kodak Product Naming, Film Naming, Photography Branding, Fuji Velvia
Posted by William Lozito at 8:06 AM| Comments (0)
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June 22, 2009
Will Apple Get Touchy About HTC's myTouch 3G Cell Phone Naming?
The HTC Android G1 has become much more "touchy feely" with its new "myTouch 3G" phone naming.
This replaces the Android G1 and is the second incarnation of the long awaited "Google Phone."
The name is meant to make people recall that it is made by you, for you, as it is completely customizable. It is designed to be an "elite" and "mainstream" device that should compete with the iPhone and the Pre. It also moves the naming away from the G1 which has its shortcomings.
Keep in mind that it will have to compete with other pretenders selling Android phones - eighteen of them by the end of the year, according to Google.
It also doesn't help that the name looks and sounds so much like the iPod Touch, which many users already call the iTouch.
There is no doubt that the myTouch 3G is far better product naming than the G1, but it also shaves things pretty close to Apple. It wouldn't be a big surprise if Apple attempted to claim that when it comes to mobile devices, they own the i, me, my... Touch space.
Technorati Tags: HTC, Cell Phone Naming, myTouch 3G, iTouch, iPhone
Posted by William Lozito at 1:28 PM| Comments (1)
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June 18, 2009
GM Shouldn't Change Its Company Name!
GM has been the butt of many jokes lately, with some referring to it as Generous Motors, Government Motors, General Makeover, etc...
Conventional wisdom is that General Motors should change its name.
I disagree.
Chrysler is a company name and a car name. Ford is a company name and a car name. But GM is first and foremost a company name.
Yes, there are the GMC trucks and vans, but in my opinion when a consumer goes to buy a Chevy or a Buick, they don't have the GM name in mind, but instead are shopping for a specific model. For instance, they are thinking of the iconic Corvette or Silverado or Traverse.
Who remembers what Nissan was called before it was Nissan? Remember Datsun?
Who remembers what the company BP was previously called? I bet not many. It was BPAmoco after the merger with Amoco, which by the way was formerly Standard Oil of Indiana.
Who remembers what South Korean LG was previously called? Who even remembers their first products to land on the U.S. shores - some cheap, low-end microwaves branded Lucky Goldstar.
We all have short memories, since we are bombarded with loads of new information on a daily basis:
- The average adult sees 247 commercial messages a day.
- There are over 45,000 items in a typical supermarket with more brands, sub-brands and line extensions being introduced every day.
- When BPAmoco was dropped for BP, the tagline "Beyond Petroleum" was added.
- When Lucky Goldstar became LG, it adopted the "Life's Good" tagline.
I'm sure it would not be difficult to come up with some wonderful taglines that play off the GM acronym.
How about Good Motors? It leverages the well-known Mr. Goodwrench and has simplicity, honesty, authenticity and relevance going for it.
What positive ideas do you have for the GM acronym?
Technorati Tags: GM, Rename GM, Name Change, Taglines, Life's Good, BPAmoco
Posted by William Lozito at 11:05 AM| Comments (1)
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