Failed organisational name changes

[Bletchleyite]

The club is still known to many as the CTC and will always will be. The name change was rejected by the membership, yet still went ahead. Royal Mail also changed it's name few back and in the end had to change back.

The BMC (British Mountaineering Council, a highly respected organisation with a respectable sounding name) tried it (Climb GB) and got voted down too, not least because they represent all areas of mountaineering, and actual mountaineers don't "climb" Snowdon, they walk up it, so the name neglected hillwalking which is a big part of their membership. But in their case it was because they wanted to tend towards being an NGB for Olympic climbing. For cycling it's bizarre because there's already a "British Cycling" which fulfils that role, all that this causes is confusion between the two organisations.

As for Royal Mail/Consignia, I hope someone got the sack for that. You've got a brand that is up there among the best-known brands in the UK (must be up there in recognition terms with Coca Cola and the likes), so you trash it?

 

[edwin_m]

I presume Consignia was a response to the Internet, when it's helpful to have a name that isn't an existing word or combination of words so the search engines can find you. I think they've got a bit more sophisticated since then.

I doubt many people refer to British Gas as Centrica.

 

[Mag_seven]

As for Royal Mail/Consignia, I hope someone got the sack for that.

That did make me laugh.

 

[Bletchleyite]

TBH I suppose an element of it may have been to rebrand the rather less respected "Parcel Farce", but TBH the best thing they could do with that (barring flogging it off) would be to integrate it into the rump Royal Mail rather than having two slightly separate, slightly complementary but also slightly competing parts of the business.

That did make me laugh.

I just got the joke now you pointed it out

 

[Cowley]

That did make me laugh.

We need to stamp down jokes like that...

 

[swt_passenger]

We need to stamp down jokes like that...

Second Class jokes too.
Seriously though, surely this was just a company name change, IIRC the function of delivering the mail always remained as Royal Mail, and the same “shops“ were always Post Offices...

 

[edwin_m]

We need to stamp down jokes like that...

Yes, sackcloth and ashes for that one, to be frank(ed).

 

[nlogax]

I doubt many people refer to British Gas as Centrica.

When dealing with them as a corporate entity, we absolutely do. Rebranding of the holding companies or corporate parents tends to suffer much less heartache than rebranding something directly used by end consumers.. hence the likes of British Gas still exist. See also Google, subsidiary of Alphabet. That change went unnoticed by most.

It's difficult to find better examples than the Royal Mail / Consignia one, it's a real stinker and a major example of how mass consultation and focus groups screw up. It's also the only one I can find that was required to be approved by a government minister, so there's that.

There are amazing examples of redesigned brands that failed, and failed hard. Gap Clothing revealed its new logo to the press and public on October 6th 2010. By October 12th 2010 the old one was firmly back in place, and the CEO had gone by the new year.

 

[kermit]

We need to stamp down jokes like that...

I think it's within the envelope of acceptability........

 

[Devonian]

I'd agree that Consignia has top prize for failure in the bag. A brand that really failed to deliver.

It's rare to find such a good example of commercial entity branding failure because few companies would go to the expense of rebranding their commercial entity - which often isn't a consumer brand in itself - without very good reason, serious research and market testing, so most either succeed (e.g. the charity now known as Scope) or go unnoticed (e.g. Yell > hibu).

I'd argue that merging the various co-ops to form 'the co-operative' rather than the more familiar Co-op wasn't a success, as demonstrated by its eventual return to the Co-op name and retro logo.

Consumer brand change flops are easier to find. Usually they are quickly corrected and forgotten, like Choco Krispies, where British consumers made it clear that they would rather have a bowl of Coco Pops, thank you very much.

Of course, there is occasionally a name that becomes completely toxic: Dasani doesn't fit the 'name change' category, but in the UK it is certainly a victim one of the most extraordinary sets of blunders ever made by any company as large as Coca Cola, and is unlikely ever to reappear here.

 

[matacaster]

Oxford Power Holdings Ltd changed its name to OPUS Energy in 2010. Unfortunately OPUS sounds rather like hopeless when spoken. How did they not realise that?

 

[O L Leigh]

I recall a tale as a callow youth from around the time when all the Polytechnics got upgraded to University status. The story went that Newcastle Polytechnic was going to merge with Newcastle University and that the new entity was to be henceforth known as the Combined Universities of Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

But it's equally possible that the tale was started by a wag.

 

[Bald Rick]

I a little surprised that no-one has mentioned, err, ‘one’ yet.

 

[SteveM70]

I'd argue that merging the various co-ops to form 'the co-operative' rather than the more familiar Co-op wasn't a success, as demonstrated by its eventual return to the Co-op name and retro logo.

That’s not quite right. The Co-operative Group was indeed formed by the progressive merger of the old CRS, CWS, and a lot of independent societies, but the name of the central business was and still is the Co-operative Group. “The Co-op” is a trading style, reintroduced about 4 years ago along with the old style cloverleaf logo and the warm blue colour scheme replacing the cold pale green. And the food business has never been entirely unsuccessful, it’s just been in the right place at the right time to benefit from the move away from big box shopping to little and often local shopping. The rest of the group, particularly the bank and the infamous Crystal Methodist, was a basket case and nearly dragged the food business under. Incidentally, last year the Co-op gave around 60% of its profits to members and charities. I can’t think of any other food retailers who do that

There are still around 15 independent societies in the UK who are, along with tCG, members of an organisation called FRTS. This effectively enables the independents, who range from Allendale who have a single shop up to Southern with a couple of hundred, to benefit from the buying power and logistics network of the group. And it works the other way too, as the ~2,700 stores of the main Co-op become part of a 4,000 store network.

 

[306024]

I a little surprised that no-one has mentioned, err, ‘one’ yet.

Don‘t remind me. Working there at the time, I recall how we were briefed that an exciting new brand was soon going to be unveiled. As each day went by the tension built until the great day. When it came it was one of those tumbleweed moments.

 

[Bald Rick]

Don‘t remind me. Working there at the time, I recall how we were briefed that an exciting new brand was soon going to be unveiled. As each day went by the tension built until the great day. When it came it was one of those tumbleweed moments.

I remember being distinctly underwhelmed when Bowker did the big reveal at Liverpool Street.

 

[Cowley]

I remember being distinctly underwhelmed when Bowker did the big reveal at Liverpool Street.

Did they use that U2 song ‘One’ for the unveiling..?

 

[Bald Rick]

Did they use that U2 song ‘One’ for the unveiling..?

Do you know, they might have done! I can’t rmemebr to be honest. I turned up late, saw a speech or two, thought ‘is that it’, notes the slightly embarrassed looks on many of the NXEA top team, and went back to do some proper work.

 

[Cowley]

Do you know, they might have done! I can’t rmemebr to be honest. I turned up late, saw a speech or two, thought ‘is that it’, notes the slightly embarrassed looks on many of the NXEA top team, and went back to do some proper work.

Brilliant!

 

[306024]

Or could have used this:

https://youtu.be/-WjDCQImAbY

 

[Tetchytyke]

The story went that Newcastle Polytechnic was going to merge with Newcastle University and that the new entity was to be henceforth known as the Combined Universities of Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

That story's as old as the hills, but the version I heard when I worked for Newcastle University was that the poly was going to be the City University of Newcastle upon Tyne.

I'd say the BA world tails livery was a pretty disastrous rebranding, but Margaret Thatcher hated it so it can't be all bad.

It's an old favourite of mine, but I adore this logo for the Office of Government Commerce:

 

[Hadders]

That’s not quite right. The Co-operative Group was indeed formed by the progressive merger of the old CRS, CWS, and a lot of independent societies, but the name of the central business was and still is the Co-operative Group. “The Co-op” is a trading style, reintroduced about 4 years ago along with the old style cloverleaf logo and the warm blue colour scheme replacing the cold pale green. And the food business has never been entirely unsuccessful, it’s just been in the right place at the right time to benefit from the move away from big box shopping to little and often local shopping. The rest of the group, particularly the bank and the infamous Crystal Methodist, was a basket case and nearly dragged the food business under. Incidentally, last year the Co-op gave around 60% of its profits to members and charities. I can’t think of any other food retailers who do that

There are still around 15 independent societies in the UK who are, along with tCG, members of an organisation called FRTS. This effectively enables the independents, who range from Allendale who have a single shop up to Southern with a couple of hundred, to benefit from the buying power and logistics network of the group. And it works the other way too, as the ~2,700 stores of the main Co-op become part of a 4,000 store network.

The 2006-ish rebranding from the Mk2 cloverleaf logo (which had an awful reputation) to 'The Co-operative' was generally successful. Prior to that the different Co-operative Group businesses all used different names and logos (as well as food stores there were funeral branches, pharmacies, travel agents, insurance, bank etc.) This was the first time in that the different businesses had traded under a unified brand. Independent Co-op societies could also use the same branding if they adhered to the brand standards.

What went wrong was the Co-op Bank scandal of 2013 including the drug taking scandal of the Chair of the bank. This almost caused the complete collapse of the whole Co-operative Group and from this point on The Co-operative brand was tarnished. The 1960s Mk1 cloverleaf logo was bought back to much acclaim. Strange how things work out, I spent much of my career removing that brand from stores as by the mid 1980s it was seen as the laughing stock of the high street!

 

[O L Leigh]

That story's as old as the hills, but the version I heard when I worked for Newcastle University was that the poly was going to be the City University of Newcastle upon Tyne.

Yes I know, although that doesn't stop it resurfacing every now and then. My student days were the early 90s and that's when I heard it. I guess whoever told it to me got the proposed name muddled up somehow.

 

[High Dyke]

That’s not quite right. The Co-operative Group was indeed formed by the progressive merger of the old CRS, CWS, and a lot of independent societies, but the name of the central business was and still is the Co-operative Group. “The Co-op” is a trading style, reintroduced about 4 years ago along with the old style cloverleaf logo and the warm blue colour scheme replacing the cold pale green. And the food business has never been entirely unsuccessful, it’s just been in the right place at the right time to benefit from the move away from big box shopping to little and often local shopping. The rest of the group, particularly the bank and the infamous Crystal Methodist, was a basket case and nearly dragged the food business under. Incidentally, last year the Co-op gave around 60% of its profits to members and charities. I can’t think of any other food retailers who do that

There are still around 15 independent societies in the UK who are, along with tCG, members of an organisation called FRTS. This effectively enables the independents, who range from Allendale who have a single shop up to Southern with a couple of hundred, to benefit from the buying power and logistics network of the group. And it works the other way too, as the ~2,700 stores of the main Co-op become part of a 4,000 store network.

Now, we just need to convince the other Co-op stores to accept Lincolnshire Co-op membership cards; though I believe there has been some changes regarding that.

Not so much a failed name change, but it's still amusing to hear people refer to British Rail when talking about current train operators and our national rail network.

 

[PG]

Not so much a failed name change, but it's still amusing to hear people refer to British Rail when talking about current train operators and our national rail network.

I think the government have form for renaming their various departments often seemingly on a whim, indeed I think the Home Office is probably the one to have kept its name unchanged the longest, being the same since 1782, prior to which it was the Southern Department for 122 years.

 

[Bletchleyite]

That’s not quite right. The Co-operative Group was indeed formed by the progressive merger of the old CRS, CWS, and a lot of independent societies, but the name of the central business was and still is the Co-operative Group. “The Co-op” is a trading style, reintroduced about 4 years ago along with the old style cloverleaf logo and the warm blue colour scheme replacing the cold pale green. And the food business has never been entirely unsuccessful, it’s just been in the right place at the right time to benefit from the move away from big box shopping to little and often local shopping. The rest of the group, particularly the bank and the infamous Crystal Methodist, was a basket case and nearly dragged the food business under. Incidentally, last year the Co-op gave around 60% of its profits to members and charities. I can’t think of any other food retailers who do that

The bank was just fine (not super-profitable, but it had a loyal following and wasn't losing money) until the stupid decision to take over the Britannia which basically killed it. Literally everyone you spoke to, staff or customer, thought it a stupid idea. Clearly it was just him who thought it was sensible!

Notably, the blue branding isn't used by all of the societies, some have their own (e.g. Scotmid, Allendale) and others kept the green and "the co-operative" e.g. South Midlands.

 

[Hadders]

The bank was just fine (not super-profitable, but it had a loyal following and wasn't losing money) until the stupid decision to take over the Britannia which basically killed it. Literally everyone you spoke to, staff or customer, thought it a stupid idea. Clearly it was just him who thought it was sensible!

Notably, the blue branding isn't used by all of the societies, some have their own (e.g. Scotmid, Allendale) and others kept the green and "the co-operative" e.g. South Midlands.

Indeed. The botched takeover of Britannia and to a lesser extend Somerfield was the turning point..

The independent societies are all independent businesses (the easiest way to describe it to a layman is like ITV television back in the 70s or 80s - pretending to be a national network but essentially a collection of completely separate businesses). Co-operative Group still has some green branded stores out there but they're converting them to blue and grey.

 

[Tetchytyke]

I guess whoever told it to me got the proposed name muddled up somehow.

I think there are different versions about, it's really funny and I really wish it was true

 

[SteveM70]

Notably, the blue branding isn't used by all of the societies, some have their own (e.g. Scotmid, Allendale) and others kept the green and "the co-operative" e.g. South Midlands.

I don’t believe the new blue and dark grey branding with “Welcome to placename’s Co-op” is used by any of the independents. I may be wrong

The other confusion now is that since the Co-op bought the supply side of NISA, you have Co-op branded products being sold in independent NISA franchise stores

 

[Bald Rick]

I don’t believe the new blue and dark grey branding with “Welcome to placename’s Co-op” is used by any of the independents. I may be wrong

The other confusion now is that since the Co-op bought the supply side of NISA, you have Co-op branded products being sold in independent NISA franchise stores

There’s a McColls newsagents not far away that is effectively a Co-op with a different badge on it.