The great name-dropping gamble
Dropping a well-known company name from a product or marketing activity might seem counterintuitive, but some businesses are doing just that - employing a debranding strategy to make their companies appear less corporate and more forward-thinking. Starbucks is experimenting with this strategy in an...
Saved in:
| Published in: | Marketing Week 2012-04, p.15 |
|---|---|
| Format: | Magazinearticle |
| Language: | eng |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | Get full text |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| Summary: | Dropping a well-known company name from a product or marketing activity might seem counterintuitive, but some businesses are doing just that - employing a debranding strategy to make their companies appear less corporate and more forward-thinking. Starbucks is experimenting with this strategy in an attempt to position itself as a friendly local coffee shop. Its 'Starbucks' moniker was removed from coffee cups in the UK last year, leaving only the siren symbol. And last month, its staff started asking customers their names, so they could write them on its takeaway cups, to make its service seem more personal and less corporate. 'We're Starbucks. Nice to meet you' is the line used in the TV advertising that explains this decision. In the US, the business has experimented with stores called '15th Ave Coffee & Tea', with 'Inspired by Starbucks' on them, to provide a more independent coffee shop feel. The chain has also just launched its first Evolution Fresh juice store in the US, where references to the corporate name are entirely absent. Other brands are using debranding in their advertising to appeal to specific audiences. |
|---|---|
| ISSN: | 0141-9285 |