A huge part of how successful a product, a service, or even a person is depends on branding. There’s an art to figuring out what people will love, and once you capture that lightning in a bottle, it’s best to hold on to it.
Some of the most recognizable brands in the world have reached their peak because of excellent branding. Take Twitter, for example: the blue bird logo and calling messages “tweets” helped it stand out from others. So, when Elon Musk rebranded it as X, the 88% drop in value and the loss of cultural recognition made sense.
Yet the infamous rebranding of Twitter is not the only unsuccessful attempt at a makeover that had people shaming companies far and wide. Bored Panda collected the most memorable rebrand fails, including logo redesigns, name changes, and other endeavors at revamping their identities that left customers confused and demanding the old branding back.
#1
Twitter to X.
aveganrepairs:
Twitter had a brand name so recognizable, it became a literal verb that was widely used in the cultural lexicon. Sure, Facebook had posts and statuses, instagram had stories, but the word “tweet” is synonymous with and unique to Twitter. Companies spend millions on marketing to try and get something to catch on and stick like that, it’s like striking gold. Baby Huey Elon threw it in the trash like it was yesterday’s news for literally the most generic, garbage branding imaginable. It’s stranger than fiction.
aveganrepairs:
Twitter had a brand name so recognizable, it became a literal verb that was widely used in the cultural lexicon. Sure, Facebook had posts and statuses, instagram had stories, but the word “tweet” is synonymous with and unique to Twitter. Companies spend millions on marketing to try and get something to catch on and stick like that, it’s like striking gold. Baby Huey Elon threw it in the trash like it was yesterday’s news for literally the most generic, garbage branding imaginable. It’s stranger than fiction.
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57points
#2
NZ spent 26 million on designing a new flag and then it lost to the old one in a vote.
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29points
#3
In 2010 the Gap paid an ad agency a bajillion dollars to rebrand. They came up with the name typed in Arial. The Gap announced the rebrand. They were roundly mocked for spending a gorillion dollars on something that it takes two seconds for anyone to create.
They decided to just continue using the old logo. The rebrand lasted six days.
They decided to just continue using the old logo. The rebrand lasted six days.
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29points
#4
Mine is Dunkin Donuts becoming Dunkin. Everyone has always called them Dunkin Donuts or DnD. Such a waste of money and effort.
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25points
#6
Royal Mail (UK) has been around for over 500 years and couldn't have a clearer name/brand. In the 00s they spent millions rebranding to Consignia.
They neglected to tell anyone about it and apparently consignia is Portuguese slang for the lady of the night. The British public was outraged and after a year they changed the name again.
The new name? Royal Mail.
They neglected to tell anyone about it and apparently consignia is Portuguese slang for the lady of the night. The British public was outraged and after a year they changed the name again.
The new name? Royal Mail.
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24points
#7
Comcast -> XFinity
I was involved in some of the meetings for that as a outside contractor. It was the dumbest move ever. 90% of the people involved knew it was dumb, but a handful or morons at the top really though Comcast's bad reputation would just magically disappear with the rebrand.
I was involved in some of the meetings for that as a outside contractor. It was the dumbest move ever. 90% of the people involved knew it was dumb, but a handful or morons at the top really though Comcast's bad reputation would just magically disappear with the rebrand.
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23points
#8
It’s been years since Angie’s List was rebranded to Angi and they’re still running ads that clarify who they are based on the old name. Great work, everyone.
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23points
#9
What about Xerox renaming themselves Conduent? Anyone heard of a Conduent machine ? Didn’t think so.
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22points
#10
Weight Watchers to WW
They tried to be cooler and hip and move away from “weight”. Turns out the only real value they have over the 10 million other diet strategies was their branding.
They tried to be cooler and hip and move away from “weight”. Turns out the only real value they have over the 10 million other diet strategies was their branding.
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22points
#11
Not really a rebrand, but when Oldsmobile went to the "This is not your father's Oldsmobile" campaign, they basically alienated the only group of people who actually were buying Oldsmobiles at the time.
And now, nobody is buying Oldsmobiles.
And now, nobody is buying Oldsmobiles.
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21points
#12
Destroying the Kinko’s brand when FedEx took it over. “FedEx Office” is so generic you don’t even know what it is. Kinko’s is such a strong brand that everyone knows it means quick printing. My job involves a lot of graphic design and document preparation and nearly everyone who mentions outsourcing printing refers to “taking it to Kinko’s.” It would be like Kimberly-Clark rebranding Kleenex as Kimberly-Clark Disposable Paper Things of Indeterminate Use.
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20points
#13
KIA changed their logo on their cars and Google showed an uptick in the searches for “K N cars” because people liked the look of them but didn’t realise it was a KIA….
19points
#14
Facebook to Meta and trying to go all in on virtual poker games with work buddies, or whatever the Metaverse was.
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19points
#15
The Sci Fi channel to "SyFy".
xkulp8:
"Sci-fi" is a generic term so can't be trademarked/copyrighted. So it was silly-looking but justifiable.
xkulp8:
"Sci-fi" is a generic term so can't be trademarked/copyrighted. So it was silly-looking but justifiable.
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18points
#16
I know this isn’t corporate but I love when I get to mention it.
In Arkansas there were two neighboring towns. One was called Helena. The other was called West Helena. One year they decided to merge into one city. What would be the name of this new city? This city made up of Helena and West Helena?
Obviously, they named it Helena-West Helena.
In Arkansas there were two neighboring towns. One was called Helena. The other was called West Helena. One year they decided to merge into one city. What would be the name of this new city? This city made up of Helena and West Helena?
Obviously, they named it Helena-West Helena.
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17points
#17
"Nordic Choice Hotels" rebranded to "Strawberry".
They have to mention their old name all the time, because Strawberry could be absolutely anything.
They have to mention their old name all the time, because Strawberry could be absolutely anything.
16points
#18
Super Sugar Crisp —> Super Golden Crisp
Sugar Smacks —> Honey Smacks
It’s almost as if they wanted to downplay the sugar content to moms who were buying cereal “as part of this nutritious breakfast.”.
Sugar Smacks —> Honey Smacks
It’s almost as if they wanted to downplay the sugar content to moms who were buying cereal “as part of this nutritious breakfast.”.
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16points
#19
The University of Western Sydney just recently spent millions of dollars to rebrand to Western Sydney University.
15points
#20
Sierra Mist becoming Starry. It happened because the NBA lost Sprite as it’s direct soda sponsor, and Sierra Mist stepped in its place. However, the NBA did not want to be involved with the name Sierra Mist because it’s widely known as the “little brother” or the inferior sprite brand. So the NBA made them change their brand name.
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15points
