Sorry, Don’t Know Anyone by that Name
It's a classic trick for a company suffering through public disgrace: change your name. The latest example is Blackwater, the embattled private security firm. But does it work? Branding experts weigh in on recent cases:
BEFORE: BLACKWATER: The ominous name becomes an albatross after a series of civilian shootings in Iraq.
AFTER: Xe: New name is purposely oblique. "They're spinning and it's obvious," guru Rob Frankel says.
BEFORE: Philip Morris: Class-action suits linking smoking to cancer drive cigarette king to rebrand in 2003.
AFTER: Altria: Shrewd, says Interbrand's David Martin, because it "sounds ... vaguely positive." No cig smell.
BEFORE: ValuJet: Never a good name to begin with. Even worse after 1996 crash in the Everglades kills 110.
AFTER: AirTran: Changed the name but that's all. "I have no idea" what the airline stands for, says Martin.
BEFORE: Andersen Consulting: Linked to Arthur Andersen and its conviction for shady Enron audit.
AFTER: Accenture: Thumbs up. Great ad campaign with Tiger Woods. Soon enough, it's the gold standard.
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