The evolution of a company sometimes leads it to change its name. Indeed, whether it involves establishing an international presence, carrying out a strategic merger or simply adapting to a change in activity, this shift often proves inevitable.
However, such a metamorphosis does not happen with the wave of a magic wand, nor under the simple breath of the wind. On the contrary, it requires careful consideration so as to never regret the chosen name. But then, how to proceed effectively?
Emblematic school cases
To illustrate this phenomenon, several large companies have already successfully taken the plunge:
- The example of transport with Kapten: Launched in 2012, the French VTC platform Private Driver decided to change its name to become Kapten. This choice was then explained by a desire to establish itself internationally. Thus, this transition carried out in a context of global expansion has confirmed the success of the company, while allowing customers attached to the previous name to understand its logic.
- The energy transition with TotalEnergies: Likewise, the Total group has chosen to evolve its identity to better symbolize its investments in clean energy and reflect its intentions to act in favor of the climate. The underlying objective was also to attenuate its image as a destroyer of the planet. This is why, to mark this turning point towards the energy transition, TotalEnergies has made several strong commitments, in particular that of aiming for carbon neutrality by 2050.
“Energy is reinventing itself and this path of energies is ours. Our ambition is to be a major player in the energy transition. This is why Total is transforming and becoming TotalEnergies. »
— Patrick Pouyanné, CEO of TotalEnergies
Changing your name: a very time-consuming operation
Beyond strategy, changing the name of a company generates a multitude of concrete tasks which will involve all departments. Concretely, it will therefore be necessary:
- Create a new logo;
- Create a new graphic charter;
- Change official stamps;
- Change the name on all administrative documents;
- Replace the letterhead and all business cards;
- Change the name on the website and systematically cross-reference all searches;
- Update the signage on the premises as well as the name on social networks.
Furthermore, it will be necessary to plan in advance to no longer order old printed matter in order to exhaust residual stocks. This will help avoid unnecessary waste, which often creates a bad image among employees.
In short, this is a particularly time-consuming operation. On the one hand, it requires staff to constantly monitor obsolete documents; on the other hand, it requires time to adapt to the new name. This is precisely why it is essential to strongly involve the teams: without this support, the company is exposed to negative attitudes and inappropriate thoughts (“it’s the latest fad”, “it’s expensive”, “They don’t know how to spend their money”…).
Change your name: communicate well with customers and suppliers
It must be recognized that a name change is rarely greeted with spontaneous enthusiasm by customers and consumers. From then on, communication becomes your best ally to overcome this obstacle.
With this in mind, it will be appropriate to carefully prepare one or more press releases, but also a detailed brief for the attention of all employees. Thanks to this tool, they will be able to assimilate the project and clearly explain to customers, suppliers and partners the reasons for this evolution, ultimately convincing them of the relevance of the new identity.
What are the reasons that lead companies to change their name?
| Strategic reason | Concrete examples and explanations |
| International establishment | This is the case, for example, of Covoiturage.frbecame BlaBlaCar to conquer the global market, the name having the quality to be exported in all languages. In the same way, Carlib became Drivyabandoning its French sound in favor of an international name. |
| Mergers and acquisitions | As an illustration, in 2009, the French insurance company AGF was absorbed by Allianz, which established its brand in 70 countries. Furthermore, in 1996, the merger between Axa and UAP first gave Axa-UAPbefore definitively adopting the unique name Axa to strengthen its overall image. For its part, the alliance between Sagem and Snecma in 2004 gave birth to Saffron. |
| Restore the image of a company | Under the effect of the upheavals in the telecoms market linked to the rise of the Internet, France Telecom has chosen to become Orange in 2013. In addition, the serious HR difficulties which had made headlines in the media had tarnished the brand: changing the name therefore made it possible to turn the page and erase this negative image. |
| A new vision of the brand | In the media sector, The New Observer became The Obs on the occasion of its 50th anniversary. In this way, the editorial team has given itself a new identity, more modern and better adapted to the uses of the web. |
| Strategic reasons | In order to give more visibility to its different branches, Google created Alphabeta holding company overseeing all of its subsidiaries. Thus, the core business (search, advertising, YouTube, Android) remains under the Google banner, **while **Alphabet carries out future projects. In the same logic, Voyages-sncf.com has become Yes.sncf in 2017 to unify the group’s offering (Ouigo, inOui, Ouibus, Ouicar). |
Develop your communications plan well both internally and externally
To succeed in this change, here are the essential steps to follow:
Phase 1: Strategic preparation
- Prepare a communications plan well in advance.
- Obtain global consensus before triggering the operation.
- Actively involve employees, because they will be the first ambassadors of the new brand.
- Golden rule: never inform the external before the internal.
Phase 2: Operational deployment
- Simultaneously inform your community, your prospects, your customers and your suppliers via social networks.
- Above all, favor a global strategy that informs everyone at the same time. Indeed, such a change benefits from calling on the media to create a real publicity splash. Consequently, success relies on transparent information or an attractive teaser campaign, capable of winning over the press so that it relays the news positively.
