[Muttypint]

We don't need to start from scratch, we only need to make it better, all die hard fans from the BlackBerry are fans from the BB not fans from RIM

So this would be a terrible idea to start from fresh, because these fans wont be there to support RIM.

[guerllamo7]

If every brand that went through tough times changed their name it would be very confusing and there would be no known companies.

I love BlackBerry and all the things it stands for and all the value it provides.

[anon(4018671)]

I disagree; here in the UK and rest of Europe BlackBerry is still doing very well indeed. I'd also be very careful believing what you hear and the stats that are put out in the press as we all know the saying about Statistics.

I dont think the brand of BlackBerry is 'that' badly damaged if 'damaged' at all. Yes, they need to be better at Marketing (their Marketing Dept need shooting some times!!) BUT the brand, on the whole, is realy good.

One thing to consider - some years ago, Apple was dead on its feet with a poor market share and a declining product set. They the invented the iPod and iPhone and, several years later, they are one of (if not 'the') richest companies in the world. At NO point did the EVER consdier dropping the name...

RiM just need to get better at marketing; after all most of their success is driven through sheer hype...


Osh

I hear ya! BB isn't dead in the water but C'mon, its BlackBerry we're talking about and Marketing isn't something they should ever touch again. Please just stop! Granted that commercial with the Temptations song Power was pretty cool but they ruined it by trash talking at the end.


One thing is for sure without a real marketing department what can they accomplish ?? Who's in charge ??

[Flexin]

I have actually suggested this for a couple of months (I believe the first time was in November). The term BlackBerry has a MASSIVE negative connotation to most, and while it has served them (by and large) well for the last decade, they have to overcome that before making any positive steps.

It would clearly be breaking with tradition, but nothing is to say they cannot end a run and start something new. BlackBerry is no longer the iconic symbol it used to be, and it might be time to introduce something new. RIM could always do business as BlackBerry, but call the devices something else entirely.

It will still be RIM and BlackBerry software so who would they be fooling? They press would have a field day with that.

Rebuilding the BlackBerry brand is the best thing to do.

James

[shaleem]

At least for their non-keyboard BB10 phones.

It would be a great way of starting out fresh and avoiding the stigma that has become associated with BB in certain segments.

If they could come up with a zippy brand name and tone down the RIM/BlackBerry branding, I think they could generate some fresh interest.

Any thoughts?

Any thoughts? Yes. This is one of the dumbest posts I've ever seen on this site!

[DaedalusIcarusHelios]

No way should they drop "BlackBerry". It's their iconic, main brand. Everyone knows what a "BlackBerry" is, for better or worse.

The Storm was deemed a failure, and the all-touchscreen BB7 device was named a Torch instead of a Storm. So they killed the Storm sub-moniker.

I had previously suggested (and I'm sure others as well) that the device names should change such that the numbering for BB10 phones is like X###, with the X prefacing the numbering (indicating 10) and the 3 digits after to be the generation, form factor, carrier (not necessarily in that order).

What might be more "bold" would to drop the Bold and Torch names and go with all new ones for the different form factors. That would make it distinct and give the new devices a breath of fresh air. To me, "BlackBerry" is the only name that needs to stay.

[sleepngbear]

When the geniuses at Coca Cola FUBAR'd 'New Coke', do you really think it ever occurred to anyone at any time to come up with a new brand name? There was major backlash against the brand after that blunder, but it was nowhere near enough to overcome the brand recognition. Now granted The BlackBerry brand may not carry quite the same weight as Coke, but BlackBerry is still a global brand with a huge recognition; the same principle applies.

[chaddeus]

I don't think the Blackberry brand is as bad as you imagine.

There are some cases where companies simply change their brand. One of them is Microsoft Live Search and now named as Microsoft Bing.

So for RIM Blackberry, if they have a product like Blackberry Music and they want to drop the name, they could drop and change to Blackberry Audio (for example).

RIM = Blackberry and Blackberry = RIM. Some people dont even know RIM but they know Blackberry. They associate Blackberry as the company that sells Blackberry phone.

There are a lot of cases that you can find in marketing books where names are given wrongly to products. For example, BlueBird Taxi in Singapore is regarded as "", so the dont have the name anymore in Singapore but they do have that name in Indonesia (different language).

- Charles

[604778]

Any thoughts? Yes. This is one of the dumbest posts I've ever seen on this site!

Wow, that's the best response you've got?

No serious attempt to understand my original post which is really proposing that it might be a good idea to differentiate social (new brand) BlackBerry from business BlackBerry? Perhaps spin off the new Superphone side of the business and concentrate the BlackBerry brand on business/government/security-minded environments?

My post made a controversial suggestion, and one that is probably wrong-headed. But it was not "dumb".

[ismethajametovic]

I can't believe how many here are business students! Then again, this is a BlackBerry forum.

[alnamvet68]

He's hardly ...
Consider Honda, they have Lexus and other divisions.
Goto Honda.com: Official Site of American Honda Motor Co., Inc.

RIM as the parent company can still release other brands based on market segment with each utilizing RIM technology. Similar to a honda motor being the underpinning technology each division uses. So it would be stupid to ditch BB but might not be dumb to add to the products/brands RIM sells.

But really isn't that the best thing about the smart phone: that one device can do so many different things? Shouldn't we just need ONE ?

Acura is Honda in most countries. Acura is the upscale version for what is essentially a Honda vehicle. The Honda Quint in 1980 something was sold in the US as the Acura Integra. The original Honda Quint was an upscale Honda Civic, and US dealers didn't want to add more choices to the Honda line, so the Acura division came to be, hence we got to buy more "luxurious" "Honda's" with an Acura name.

[Chrisy]

I can't believe how many here are business students! Then again, this is a BlackBerry forum.

Probably everyone who's been to college has taken at least a few business classes. I'm in one now. And I'm in the medical field!

Drop the RIM name and go with BlackBerry. It's recognizable, able to be repaired and doing well over seas.

[shaleem]

Wow, that's the best response you've got?

No serious attempt to understand my original post which is really proposing that it might be a good idea to differentiate social (new brand) BlackBerry from business BlackBerry? Perhaps spin off the new Superphone side of the business and concentrate the BlackBerry brand on business/government/security-minded environments?

My post made a controversial suggestion, and one that is probably wrong-headed. But it was not "dumb".

You are absolutely right. My comment was rude and uncalled for and I sincerely apologize to you. I'm being serious and not sarcastic. I do disagree with you though. Again, forgive my rudeness.