Gooble, Gooble
As much as I care about branding, I usually opt to buy local, small or alternative brands. In the past few months, I have become a victim of 2 rebranding campaigns: my bank and my cell phone. Both have shifted their color palettes and it has left me with a disharmonious perception of their brands.
Banknorth, a small New England bank chain, was bought by TD in March. TD Bank Financial Group owns Toronto-Dominion Bank, Canada's second-largest bank, and the investment firm TD Waterhouse. The shift was commemorated by buying the naming rights to Boston's Fleet Center (formerly the Boston Garden) and turning the brand color from blue to green.
Sprint bought Nextel for $35 billion in December 2004. Aside from the usual merger problems, they are dealing with customers on different technologies. Usually the buyer shallows the buyee brand, but Sprint ditched their red for Nextel's yellow.
Now that the dust has settled, I have noticed the stages of acceptance for customer's undergoing a major rebranding campaign:
1. Shock- Why would Banknorth sell to TD?
2. Repulsion- How dare TD swallow my cool, funky bank?
3. Numbness- Fine, but if another bank comes along I might jump.
4. Acceptance- It's just a bank, I shouldn't care so much.
5. Forgiveness- At least they kept my overdraft protection.
posted by jazz @ 10:13 AM
1 Comments:
That is interesting I was making up a word - "gooble" to type because it sounded fun...and stumbled upon your sebsite. Perhaps this is an omen because I work for a hotel that is for sell and there is a possibility that when it sells they could change the "brand name". Hmmmmmmm. I like your synopsis, however I am still at a position to say..how can people really be so swayed by advertising? As far as brands go anyways. I am with you; I generally try to avoid name brands and opt for alternative brands. I used to sell cell phones but now have ditched the technology. It appears to me that ultimately their a few super powers that really "own" EVERYTHING. Just under different names or seemingly different companies. Hope you read this even though it is so long after you wrote!
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