When Brand Names go Bad
Strategy is often billed as a largely left-brain activity. Yes, creativity is required when it comes to generating solutions, but logical analysis gets a greater share of the headspace. So, when I get stuck into those things which get my right hemisphere buzzing, it is always a treat. Two marketing activities which require a whole, balanced brain approach are Name Generation and Packaging Design.
Not every marketer has the privilege of working on these sacred tasks. Many of us are appointed a role caretaking an existing brand; which was named decades (or longer) ago. And, given that conspicuousness accounts for a lot at the point of purchase, most brand owners go with the “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” line of thinking when it comes to pack upgrades – which means this kind of work doesn’t roll around all that often.
You can imagine my excitement to discover that both of these rare disciplines are in for a sudden boom. In the last 48-hours alone, I have learned of no less than four major international brands which have committed to reconsider their brand name and brand icons, and as a result will need to redo their packaging. As the anti-racism movement gains momentum, I have no doubt that many more brand owners will introspect and discover that they might be overdue for some change.
Aunt Jemima’s syrup set the ball rolling with its statement of intent. This American brand first appeared on shelves back in 1889, bearing the image of Aunt Jemima, the archetypal southern slave. While the brand imagery was updated in 1989, giving Jemima a more modern image by dispensing with her headcloth and adding some pearl earrings, the brand owners have acknowledged that the brand imagery is “based on a racial stereotype” and have decided it is time to retire the brand’s aunt Jemima image entirely.
Rice Brand Uncle Ben’s was not far behind. Based on a fictional character, Uncle Ben carries the image of an elderly African-American farmer. The brand owner, Mars, has said it will evolve Uncle Ben’s visual brand identity and that it is evaluating all possibilities for changes to the product - which could include a new name.
Eskimo Pie, the vanilla-flavoured, chocolate coated ice cream treat which was named for a North American tribe has suffered controversy as far back as 2009, when an Inuit woman said the product name insulted her heritage. More than a decade later, the brand is finally committing to change.
And I suspect that this is just the tip of the iceberg.
Because as companies use the current wave of anti-racism to inspire introspection, I am sure that many more will find that this isn’t just an exercise in standing up to scrutiny, but will discover that their brands have indeed lost relevance. Worse still, they might find that their names and imagery are outright hurtful to consumers – and better to discover this before consumers vote with their feet.
I’d like to see this trend extend to those brands that make use of negative gender stereotypes too. I for one have grown tired of the pink-washing which is so common in whole product categories. I am not suggesting wholesale change, but there is definitely room to understand consumers better, and as a result, improve the way in which brands are portrayed to their users.
Indeed, the prospect of being booked back-to-back with Name Generation and Packaging Design work is very exciting. The temptation to hop on the woke-wagon is high, and I suspect we will see all matter of brands charging forth with plans to change – in some cases, where it isn’t entirely necessary. While I wouldn’t miss Hooters, if it disappears from the brand landscape in response to the calls of animal rights activists, I think we might’ve missed the point.
As with all things, may sanity prevail.
If you want to chat about naming your brand, designing packaging, or any other marketing challenge you’re experiencing - get in touch with me here. Take a look at the Marketing Services we offer at Jack Be Nimble.
Photo by Element5 Digital on Unsplash
