SPT Marketing news

Can a bad brand name or brand mark be your enemy? Or is it more likely to be a publicity stunt? Let’s tell you an Australian story what you are probably familiar with and decide it by yourself. 

The Vegemite which is known as an icon in Australia and has been eaten by children and adults for a long time is produced by Kraft. The company decided several years ago to introduce a new spread that combines Vegemite and cream cheese. Kraft ran a national competition to name the new product therefore it was first launched for people to try with the words ‘Name Me’ on label. The new spread seemed popular with almost three million jars sold within months.

The winner name of the competition was iSnack 2.0, however it was claimed that this name was chosen in attempt to appeal to the young, internet-savvy generation that Kraft saw as a key underdeveloped market segment. Almost after the product was launched with that name, there was a significant consumer complaints against the brand name. Short afterwards, Kraft revealed that they would clear their stock of iSnack 2.0-labelled jars through supermarket shelves as quickly as possible and change the brand name. Ironically, the iSnack 2.0 jars quickly became collector’s items.After some deliberation, it was decided that a new name of product would be Vegemite Cheesybite.

Critics believe that the whole process had been a publicity stunt. Regardless of whether it was or not, the iSnack 2.0 experience provided a classic example of the importance of product branding.

If you believe that your branding is more likely to be your enemy than a publicity stunt or just simply feel that it doesn’t reflect your product or service well after reading this story, it is recommended to change or at least modify your branding. If you are uncertain about the way to do it or do not know how to start it, our services are including a support with branding strategies.