“Why would you pay someone to drop an ‘i’ in a name?”. We heard this after rebranding the Centre for Future Generations from the International Centre for Future Generations. We found it funny (and hard to disagree with).
If only renames were so simple. We’ve been through a few recently so, if you’re planning a rename, here is our write-up on how to survive one.
Know why you’re doing this
Be clear about the pain point. Boards reject name changes because they see more risk in changing than staying put (and they are right that changing a name is risky). This gets harder when founders are involved – they have emotional connections to the original name.
Whether it’s outgrowing your original mission, constant confusion with competitors, or needing to ditch baggage from the past – don’t proceed without a compelling reason.
Consider the path of least resistance
Let’s say you have a chunky name, or a long abbreviation. See if there is an easy way to drop an “i” (yes, it’s a thing now). There is always a way to tweak the name to make it more memorable.
We changed Herbert Scoville Jr. Peace Fellowship to Scoville Peace Fellowship. Simply because that’s what people called it. And this doesn’t mean leaving the legacy behind or becoming less ‘international’ in the Centre for Future Generations case. It just means you have to show this aspect through your work.
Set your criteria and process
Your name can serve different strategic functions. Doctors Without Borders conveys values. The International Rescue Committee speaks to their organisational model. Amazon had a practical advantage of placing the company at the top of alphabetical listings.
Decide what matters most and how you will evaluate options before generating them. This makes eliminating the unsuitable ones much easier.
Otherwise, you’ll quickly find yourself drowning in subjective feedback. We’ve seen reactions ranging from casual dismissals like ‘it doesn’t sound good’ to serious concerns about ‘associations with fascism’ (not joking, it has happened to us on two projects now). This wide spectrum of responses shows how emotionally charged and risk-sensitive people become during renaming exercises.
Set a clear consultation process documenting why you’re doing this and how decisions will be made, and by whom. They will come handy when you get stuck in the creative weeds and can’t find your way out.
Look inward and be practical
We’ve learned that names suggested externally don’t really stick. It should come from someone in your team. Hire an agency that asks lots of questions, and listens more than speaks.
Don’t forget the tedious but critical stuff. Legal trademark checks. Domain availability. SEO implications. Get your legal team involved early to avoid eleventh-hour disasters that will put you back to the drawing board: the legal team must be part of the process, not an afterthought.
Accept the trade-offs and make the call
There is no perfect name.
Each name will have tradeoffs. Descriptive names communicate what you do but may limit future expansion (take Atlantic Council). Abstract names offer flexibility but require more marketing to establish meaning. Shorter names – easier to remember but lack distinctiveness.
Someone has to make the final decision, and not everyone will be happy. Be prepared for this moment. Make sure that the people who are the ones who will have to stand on a stage in front of this name are the ones that are most comfortable with it.
But remember, it’s just a name
Your brand is more than letters strung together – IBM, Xerox, Toyota, Nike – all these huge brands were not immediately accepted or recognised by consumers. Growing into a new identity takes time and investment. Focus on that.
Before you go, here our view on what makes a good name:
- Memorability: how quickly your audience will remember it?
- Story value: if someone asks, do you have a story to tell that will land?
- Scalability: can it accommodate your growth?
- Market advantage: does it make you standout?
- Simplicity: shorter is always better.
Considering renaming? Let’s chat.
