[FobiddenRiceman]

I was watching the news clip with Chairman Chen (yes I like to call him that because I think of chairman Mao when I see him) discussing the company's latest acquisition. I noticed half way through that it has little to nothing to do with BlackBerry handsets and then realized how weird it is that the company takes its name from a product that they are trying to distance them selves from, by that I mean they are trying to reduce there dependence on. As of right now if you look at the rest of the company it has little relation to the BlackBerry; BBM is cross-platform, BES is cross-platform, QNX is an embed os used in industrial applications excluding the BB10 handsets, secussmart (however it's spelled) doesn't play favorites when it comes to platforms and with each move the company makes it moves itself further from its dependence on the BlackBerry.

Also the company name being BlackBerry is weird and makes as much sense as Apple renaming itself to "iPod" or microsoft changing its name to "Kin" (you geeks know what I'm talking about, for those who don't know what a "Kin" is replace it with "xbox" in the analogy) or Amazon calling itself "Kindle" or Google re-branding as Chrome, Ford renaming them selves to "Mustang", Samsung renaming itself to "Galaxy", Sony to "Play Station" if any of these companies did this it would be strange because they are just one of the many services or products they offer.

What is an Apple, a Microsoft, a Samsung, a Sony, a Ford, a BlackBerry? Ah I see something that doesn't belong, something that doesn't fit in and that would but a BlackBerry because that's the only one that is a specific product.

The move under Thor to change the name to BlackBerry was a symbolic gesture to show they were committed to phones, so I want to know when Chairman Chen is going to finally make the statement of changing the name back to RIM to show that they're going back to their roots and are serious about growing the company into something more than the BlackBerry

�The Berrylution will not be televised� Stupid. Double typeeing kyboard IS FIXED �

[bakron1]

To be honest, I like the RIM name better then I do the Blackberry one. The RIM name is more suited for a high tech company and with Mr Chen focusing on enterprise and software, it seems like the logical choice.

[Zedd88]

Also the company name being BlackBerry is weird and makes as much sense as Apple renaming itself to "iPod" or microsoft changing its name to "Kin" (you geeks know what I'm talking about, for those who don't know what a "Kin" is replace it with "xbox" in the analogy) or Amazon calling itself "Kindle" or Google re-branding as Chrome, Ford renaming them selves to "Mustang", Samsung renaming itself to "Galaxy", Sony to "Play Station" if any of these companies did this it would be strange because they are just one of the many services or products they offer.

What is an Apple, a Microsoft, a Samsung, a Sony, a Ford, a BlackBerry? Ah I see something that doesn't belong, something that doesn't fit in and that would but a BlackBerry because that's the only one that is a specific product.

The move under Thor to change the name to BlackBerry was a symbolic gesture to show they were committed to phones, so I want to know when Chairman Chen is going to finally make the statement of changing the name back to RIM to show that they're going back to their roots and are serious about growing the company into something more than the BlackBerry

�The Berrylution will not be televised� Stupid. Double typeeing kyboard IS FIXED �

You're samples are wrong. The use of brand name as company name is very common. Using your sample above. Samsung is Samsung Electronics (Galaxy is a product line), Ford is Ford (Mustang is a model), Apple is Apple (iPhone is a product line), Sony is Sony (playstation is a product), Blackberry is Blackberry. If they rename the company to Bold or Curve or Passport, then that would be another thing.

But having brand name = company name is common.

Even Google named themselves after Google (Chrome is an after product, they were a search engine first).

I see no reason for them going back to RIM.
Posted via CB10

[RubberChicken76]

There's also a matter of the brand awareness. People know "BlackBerry", but less likely to know "RIM".

I know someone will say "But the brand is tarnished" and it's true. However, I'd counter suggest that brand building is expensive. I once worked for a company that had a tarnished brand in one industry and tried to create a new brand to re-enter that industry.What they learned - the hard way - was that brand building costs a fortune. Even though their original brand was tarnished, people knew what it was. Products under the tarnished brand sold many times better than under the new brand.

Food for thought.

[donnation]

Changing their name isn't going to do anything. I don't really think any of your examples make sense. Although I always liked RIM better I don't think changing it back to that would do anything to help the brand name. I don't really agree with any of the examples you listed either, as they don't really make much sense to me.

[onlybuggin]

OP you maybe right for practical reasons but in the whole that's the least of BlackBerry 's problems. Many companies change their names to align itself with their best known products. (S. S. Kresgee:Kmart ; Dayton Hudson:Target) to be more recognizable; much the same for BlackBerry.

But name are unnecessary if a company has a commanding product. Which BlackBerry does not. If BlackBerry has a reason to change its name, it would be to appear as a newcomer on the device market and to compete for users that are determined not to be BlackBerry users. If anything were to come from bb's partnership with Samsung it would a suoer-premium, Samsung branded BlackBerry running Google Play services and the whole nine. Giving folks an opportunity to experience a BlackBerry without the stigma of owning a BlackBerry.


Posted via CB10

[wilber1]

I have always liked /used RIM however with all the layoffs don't know if it pertains to Blackberry any more ,

[Dunt Dunt Dunt]

Chen is all about keeping cost down... Changing signs and letterhead would be an expense he isn't going to authorize.

Yes the BlackBerry brand is tarnished, yes they might stop making devices... but people (enterprise or consumers) recognize the name and do tend to think "security"....

[Chuck Finley69]

At least with the name "BlackBerry " people know the company. Anyone outside the industry had no idea who RIM is/was. Old saying, "no such thing as bad publicity". While not entirely true, you can understand the idea. ANY brand awareness is better than NONE.

Posted via CB10

[lnichols]

At least with the name "BlackBerry " people know the company. Anyone outside the industry had no idea who RIM is/was. Old saying, "no such thing as bad publicity". While not entirely true, you can understand the idea. ANY brand awareness is better than NONE.

Posted via CB10

Yes. People are aware that they don't want a BlackBerry. Name BlackBerry is 100% associated with BBOS when it comes to phones. The vast majority of people in developed countries do not like BBOS and do not want a phone running it. BlackBerry has failed to educate the public that their BB10 phones are not BBOS, that they have more apps, and that spinning clocks and battery pulls are no longer part of the "BlackBerry" experience. So their brand awareness is tied to a miserable BBOS experience that people ran from when other options became available.

Posted via Z30

[chaffyjuice]

I don't know...I've always witnessed chuckles whenever newspapers reported increases or decreases in RIM jobs.


Posted via CB10

[TCB on Z10]

Don't forget Obama and Clinton use BlackBerrys, not RIMs.

BB, Still the One

[chenageddon]

A name change will be useful once most BlackBerry customers are not using BlackBerry smartphones. Right now, when a manager says "We're thinking of managing our mobile communications using BlackBerry," most people are wondering whether it works well with iOS and Android.

[Chuck Finley69]

Yes. People are aware that they don't want a BlackBerry. Name BlackBerry is 100% associated with BBOS when it comes to phones. The vast majority of people in developed countries do not like BBOS and do not want a phone running it. BlackBerry has failed to educate the public that their BB10 phones are not BBOS, that they have more apps, and that spinning clocks and battery pulls are no longer part of the "BlackBerry" experience. So their brand awareness is tied to a miserable BBOS experience that people ran from when other options became available.

Posted via Z30

Exactly what should they educate people with? That we're running BB10 now? In the eyes of most consumers, BB10 is just another failed ecosystem. When people gave BB10 a chance in 2013, there were so many returns by people who hoped the app situation would be improved like BlackBerry and Management were claiming, that inventory right downs and lack of sales almost killed the company.

My point is they're stuck with a brand since they don't have the money to rebrand and even if they did start an expensive rebranding campaign right now, what exactly would they market? Until they get a better app ecosystem, they have nothing to rebrand. If they do some kind of Android phone, they will need every dollar possible to push a "more secure android experience " type of advertising. Since product isn't announced yet, kinda hard to advertise or brand.

Right now, they're better stuck with the BlackBerry name than RIM name. That's all I was saying.

Posted via CB10

[lnichols]

Exactly what should they educate people with? That we're running BB10 now? In the eyes of most consumers, BB10 is just another failed ecosystem. When people gave BB10 a chance in 2013, there were so many returns by people who hoped the app situation would be improved like BlackBerry and Management were claiming, that inventory right downs and lack of sales almost killed the company.

My point is they're stuck with a brand since they don't have the money to rebrand and even if they did start an expensive rebranding campaign right now, what exactly would they market? Until they get a better app ecosystem, they have nothing to rebrand. If they do some kind of Android phone, they will need every dollar possible to push a "more secure android experience " type of advertising. Since product isn't announced yet, kinda hard to advertise or brand.

Right now, they're better stuck with the BlackBerry name than RIM name. That's all I was saying.

Posted via CB10

If they go Android they will still have to push the "these aren't BBOS devices" too, and it will cost a lot of mobey. Most people won't give BlackBerry a chance or know that BB10 was ever launched. People still today are amazed BlackBerry made a 5" full touch phone that looks good and has an OS like BB10 if they see me using my Z30. BlackBerry Android will be no different if they don't spend a ton of money to distance the BlackBerry name from BBOS and the BBOS experience.

Posted via Z30

[guitarrista]

I can see the point of the OP's argument, and wouldn't be very surprised to see them change the name at some point. It might have made sense in retrospect not to have changed it in the first place. From what little I know about marketing as a finance guy, a name should be concise, memorable, and expressive of the firm's mission. A good logo should go with it. I think "BlackBerry" does that.

It's pretty clear to me that the direction of the company under current leadership is primarily in developing and promoting secure mobile communication, with secondary focus on the embedded systems, etc. That means BlackBerry's competitive advantage is precisely in that it provides specialized products for specialized purposes - that it's not Android or iPhone. By definition this is a product that is not supposed to appeal to the mainstream comsumer mobile market, which is highly insecure. The BlackBerry brand name still stands for that - relatively secure, old school, not flashy, just get the job done, and the logo is still the best in the business IMO.

They have the strategy set, and just have to get on with the execution part.

[Chuck Finley69]

Which is why the company is going cross platform on enterprise security products and becoming a software company basically. As Blackberry phone user, I hope they're able to stay in hardware business. As shareholder, I don't expect to support a money losing hardware business forever and believe Chen will make tough decision to protect shareholders first, employees second and Blackberry fans last. There doesn't appear to be enough Blackberry fans to buy enough hardware to keep it profitable and the company is getting a far better return on their cash in software businesses than ever possible in hardware. Chen's been spot on with his decisions regarding software. Only reason it's not shut down already is BBOS revenue stream (although declining) and small core of enterprise and consumers that continue to purchase hardware,

[lnichols]

Which is why the company is going cross platform on enterprise security products and becoming a software company basically. As Blackberry phone user, I hope they're able to stay in hardware business. As shareholder, I don't expect to support a money losing hardware business forever and believe Chen will make tough decision to protect shareholders first, employees second and Blackberry fans last. There doesn't appear to be enough Blackberry fans to buy enough hardware to keep it profitable and the company is getting a far better return on their cash in software businesses than ever possible in hardware. Chen's been spot on with his decisions regarding software. Only reason it's not shut down already is BBOS revenue stream (although declining) and small core of enterprise and consumers that continue to purchase hardware,

I think they can make money and keep hardware viable if they follow the Passport release model. Higher end, higher price in controlled production for your core consumer and business/government users. They should design one set of higher end guts to run in two form factors, one PKB and one all touch. They have now wasted design time on low end devices like the Classic and Leap, and not selling them in any sort of sustainable numbers. Higher end is higher profit margin. But Chairman Chen isn't a hardware guy, and neither is anyone he is hiring, so they would rather go with their management's strength but the company's weakness, software.

Posted via Z30

[FobiddenRiceman]

You're samples are wrong. The use of brand name as company name is very common. Using your sample above. Samsung is Samsung Electronics (Galaxy is a product line), Ford is Ford (Mustang is a model), Apple is Apple (iPhone is a product line), Sony is Sony (playstation is a product), Blackberry is Blackberry. If they rename the company to Bold or Curve or Passport, then that would be another thing.

But having brand name = company name is common.

Even Google named themselves after Google (Chrome is an after product, they were a search engine first).

I see no reason for them going back to RIM.
Posted via CB10

But BlackBerry handsets are a product line up in the company are they not? BES, BBM and QNX are different product line ups are they not? So effectively they did name the company after a product line

�The great BERRY will rise in the west, then be re-born in the east �

[FobiddenRiceman]

I don't know...I've always witnessed chuckles whenever newspapers reported increases or decreases in RIM jobs.


Posted via CB10

OK even I got a chuckle out of that. You have a point

�The great BERRY will rise in the west, then be re-born in the east �

[FobiddenRiceman]

A name change will be useful once most BlackBerry customers are not using BlackBerry smartphones. Right now, when a manager says "We're thinking of managing our mobile communications using BlackBerry," most people are wondering whether it works well with iOS and Android.

This is what I mean since everything else is now cross platform, if that same manager walked in and instead said "starting today we're going to managing our mobile communications with Research In Motion's Business & Enterprise Server"

�The great BERRY will rise in the west, then be re-born in the east �

[terminatorx]

I always felt they should have never changed their name from RIM. It was a perfectly good name for the company.

Posted via CB10

[Prem WatsApp]

This is what I mean since everything else is now cross platform, if that same manager walk in and said were going to start managing our communications with Research In Motion's Business & Enterprise Server

�The great BERRY will rise in the west, then be re-born in the east �

Sounds like a must-have I.T. product... :-)
Awesomeness.

And a new name for BES wouldn't hurt.
BES acronym must stay, though!

�   "BB Android Armageddon: Chenisys is uploading in 5,4,3..."   �

[FobiddenRiceman]

the acronym staying goes without saying because how often do people actually say the name, most will just recognize it by the acronym

�The great BERRY will rise in the west, then be re-born in the east �

[Zedd88]

But BlackBerry handsets are a product line up in the company are they not? BES, BBM and QNX are different product line ups are they not? So effectively they did name the company after a product line

�The great BERRY will rise in the west, then be re-born in the east �

Blackberry is a Brand. BES is a product line with BlackBerry as it's brand. Same with BBM, is a messaging platform with BlackBerry as the brand. QNX is a different brand name and a different product line.

I still disagree that Blackberry is a product line (handset) when it is a brand. Since the product line is the Curve, Bold, Passport, etc. Just like in your example, Galaxy is a product line. But the brand is still Samsung and the company name is also Samsung.


Posted via CB10