To rebrand or not to rebrand?

摘要

Justin Wiesehan created a product line people loved. They just didn't love the name. Two years ago, Mr. Wiesehan launched Macro Snacks, a direct-to-consumer brand of puffs formulated with pea protein, chickpea flour, brown rice flour and organic sunflower oil. The products were developed to deliver a specific balance of carbohydrates, protein and fat for consumers like him who tracked macronutrients to achieve health and fitness goals. The problem, he discovered, was there weren't very many consumers like him. "About 60% of the customers I talked to or surveyed through email had no idea what a macro was," Mr. Wiesehan said. "I realized as I get bigger and want to scale, that the brand isn't approachable, it isn't appealing, and it doesn't mean anything to anybody." While such a self-critical conclusion may seem overblown, discussions with retail buyers offered further proof a new name was needed if the brand would ever land in grocery stores. "Retailers told us they loved our product, but they didn't believe macro counters were a big enough market to warrant shelf space," he said. Entrepreneurs must consider numerous factors when naming - or renaming - a business. Brands that refer to a specific ingredient, category or diet are limiting. A brand name should adequately communicate the product offering while standing out among competitors in a crowded marketplace.