Over 12 years ago I went through the long-awaited process of changing my name. For the previous eight years, I had marketed myself as Laura Schneider, and with the change it meant beginning to market Laura Lake. While my decision to change my name was not taken lightly I did endure the painful process of evaluating what impact it would have on my "brand."
Deciding to Recreate Your Brand
I planned it step-by-step and felt I was thorough with the process, but what I learned is that even the planning process cannot eliminate the confusion. Changing my name was done out of choice, not because of an underlying event such as marriage or a divorce. I wanted a brand that was easy to spell and easy to remember. I was concerned that as I continued to grow my business and reputation the spelling of my previous name would cause possible issues with being found. Very seldom did I run into someone who could spell my name or pronounce it correctly the first time.
Testing Brand Recognition
I first noticed the confusion with the team that I was working with. I wanted to run an experiment, not make an announcement just appear with a different name via electronic communication. Would my colleagues ask why or would they ignore it? Would they begin to use it or would they continue to address me with my previous name? The results were interesting. While some adapted the new name with no questions, others wanted more information before shifting to the new name.
Why is all this important? Often as organization leaders and brand managers, we forget that our brand has such an impact. Take for instance the "new Coke" that was introduced in 1985. Although Coca-Cola had invested $4,000,000 in market testing the launch of this new product created a public outcry. Within 87 days Coca-Cola re-introduced the original Coke formula. What was the difference? Why the change? What happened that made the introduction of this new product a failure? Coca-Cola focused on the introduction of the new product rather than the loyalty to the brand.
Before You Recreate Your Brand
Creating a transitional change with your brand can be a successful endeavor, however, it takes careful planning, educating, explanation. It takes focusing on the brand, not the product. This ensures that you do not lose loyal consumers in the process. Start with a list of serious questions and a solid goal in mind. Weigh the benefits, be sure that the change is beneficial not only to the company but to the consumer. Listen to your customers, they will never steer you wrong.
