Simplifying was created great brands
Brands are one of the main values that a company can count on. And although many brands seem eternal and have always been as we know them today. In many cases they were launched to the market with a name, which over time, had to change and evolve, usually to simplify, making it more universal, reaching more people, easier to remember and a more memorable brand.
This is not to say that simplifying has been the key to creating a great brand, but at least it has smoothed out the rough edges that would have hindered, or at least not slowed down, the growth achieved.
Having a simple brand helps to make it easier to be remembered, and consequently, to reduce the marketing investment needed for the brand to stay in the consumer’s mind and achieve its objectives.
Let’s take a look at some examples of great startup brands, of which… maybe you didn’t know their original name.
Apple emerged in ’76 as Apple Computers Co (Company) and that’s how its logo despite being dedicated to technology looked more like a heraldic shield or something old, but it referred to its origin and inspiration, Isaac Newton’s apple, and the moment of the revelation of scientific evidence. Luckily, it was simplified to just Apple (5 letters). Although in the end if you think about it, it is appropriating the name of a fruit, the brand has surpassed the name itself, and when we hear or read it, we no longer think of the object, but of the brand as the first option.
Facebook the most important social network, at the beginning in the distant 2004 when it emerged, was called TheFacebook (thefacebook.com) yes, as it sounds… The current name, if you think about it, it may sound strange, at least in Spanish, but as it was originally something like a university yearbook, that is to say a “face book”, it even makes sense. Removing the article in front was a simple word of 8 letters (4+4) much easier to remember. Right?
Twitter was born on July 12, 2006 and was called Twttr (twttr.com), here the simplification was to make it readable, at least and not to shorten it. And I think we are all thankful for it, because I would be unable to pronounce ‘twttr’.
AirBnB in its beginnings in 2008 was called AirBedAndBreakfast (airbedandbreakfast.com) because it arose from the idea of offering an airbed with breakfast in an occupied house. Although it then evolved, both in concept, not only sharing a sofa or a room, but the whole house, as well as its name to something shorter, while maintaining its essence. For my taste, it is still a complicated brand, but it has caught on.
Uber originally in 2009 was called UberCab (ubercab.com). The meaning of the brand comes from cab, is taxi in American English and Uber for ‘superior’, I think in German. It was a way of implying that Uber was an improved cab. But of course, with their level of investment and ambition, it is understandable that they removed Cab from the brand and did not want to be only related to cabs, so they could enter other markets such as delivery, or food delivery, it made perfect sense. Perhaps part of the merit is in being able to achieve in addition to the UBER brand, a .com domain of only 4 letters, which already at that time, was very difficult to achieve, if not a feat, not to be left.
I’m sure you know of more examples, can you help me complete the list in the comments?
