After facing backlash for dropping vowels from its name in a rebranding attempt, Aberdeen Group has reverted to its original name, showing the risks companies take in trying to appear modern.
Aberdeen's Vowel Reversal: A Lesson in Corporate Branding Failures
Aberdeen's Vowel Reversal: A Lesson in Corporate Branding Failures
A renowned British investment firm returns to its roots by reinstating vowels, highlighting the dangers of trendy rebranding missteps.
In an ironic twist of fate, Aberdeen Group has announced its decision to reintroduce the vowels once omitted, reversing its controversial name change to "abrdn" executed in 2021. The 200-year-old investment firm aimed to portray itself as a "digitally enabled" and modern brand, but the move has since been met with widespread ridicule and criticism.
In a statement revealing the change, new CEO James Windsor acknowledged that it was time to eliminate distractions, undercutting previous claims about keeping the new branding intact. The decision underscores the precarious nature of corporate rebranding, which is often intended to align with shifting market strategies but can lead to confusion or alienation among customers when not executed thoughtfully.
Historically, dropping vowels or creating quirky spellings was popular among tech companies in the early 2000s. Firms like Grindr, Flickr, and even the original name of Twitter, twttr, exemplified this trend. However, as pointed out by linguistics expert Laura Bailey from the University of Kent, such strategies may quickly become outdated or cringe-worthy, reminiscent of embarrassing attempts by parents to connect with what they perceive as contemporary culture.
Bailey explains that companies often miss the mark when trying to be trendy, leading to branding that feels out of touch. As Aberdeen Group's reversal illustrates, the balance between modernization and maintaining brand identity is a delicate one, with potentially costly repercussions for firms that don’t get it right.
