Embarq - The Worst Brand Name Ever?

Mary and I just returned from eating dinner at the best restaurant in Chester, NJ - Redwoods.  Just as I was getting ready to relax and maybe play some computer games, I decided to open my mail and what did I find?  A letter from my local services provider Sprint who is renaming their company Embarq.  I have to tell you the name itself conjures up a certain memory of my stomach virus from last week.

As part of the Sprint/Nextel merger, they are spinning off their local and long distance into a separate company that will trade on the NYSE. It will be managed by former AT&T Wireless CEO Dan Hesse, who if memory serves me correctly, is the architect of Digital OneRate calling plan which launched the current pricing schedule of a bucket of minutes.  Unfortunately, for Dan he did not get the best results out of his brand agency because the name should make most consumers sick to their stomach and their logo conjures up memories of cheap paper airplanes.  Coincidentally the agency's name is Salt as in the salt poured into the open wound of a company that is being split off from their wireless division.  Finally, adding to the sickness in my stomach is the use of green in the logo.  ' Nuff said.

PardonMyFrench,

Eric

Comments

[Sprint Customer]

Sprint changing it's name sounds like the dumbest idea since AT&T changed it's name to Lucent Technologies. They both have huge market share, tremendous name recognition, and they decide to change their name. Hello? Does anyone even know what Lucent Technologies even does? Do you have any idea how long it will take for 50% of their potential clients to even know what the heck Embarq does? In the mean time they will pass the millions of dollars it costs to repair all their trucks, reprint all their stationary, and repaint hundreds if not thousands of signs. Hell they probably spent a half million just to study and do market research on the name change. Yep. Just smile and take it, becasue you're paying for every penny of this latest bad management decision. No wonder Dilbert was based on it's creator's experience workign in a cubicle at a telephone company.

[Eric Frenchman]

Nicely done - especially the Dilbert comment.

[Emma Finch]

The green is to get the "Red" out, so that customers will not relate it to Sprint. I have seen nothing but postive come from the change. Lower plan rates such as 44.95 for home phone with unlimited long distance. 24.95 for the internet and Dish is three times cheaper than Cable. I don't know why you say you don't like the change personally I think it has been for the better.

[PardonMyFrench]

Hi Emma,

I think the get the "red out" comment speaks for itself. No customer is going to get that and all they will see is a green paper airplane. I also provided a link from TrendIQ that looked at the brand perception that backs up my original comment (http://pardonmyfrench.typepad.com/pardonmyfrench/2006/08/confirming_emba.html)

However, I do agree with you regarding the service and the plans and I am very happy with them. They have all of my home phone service including DSL. Good products, pricing, and service - just don't like the brand name.

Eric

[EMFART!!!]

price for high speed internet is absolutely expensive compare to other companies. Come on EMBARQ $30 for 768....... seen price like that for 6.0 for $30 a month

[Levon]

I still think Ameriprise has the worst name ever.

[Centurylink]

Well say goodbye to good ol embarq because its going to merge with centurytel and become centurylink and become one of the largest phone companies in the U.S.

(psst i think they are combining because people are paying them off u no MONOPOLY IS ILLEGAL lolz) and sprint didnt change their name embarq took them over