I think I posted this the last time this topic came up, but Ed Zitron's article about how business idiots run things despite not really understanding the users or product is pretty solid. Long, but solid. https://www.wheresyoured.at/the-era-of-the-business-idiot/
this post was submitted on 25 May 2025
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Really. I get that the business world is dynamic and not adapting to changing times kills companies, but so does torpedoing a long-established and recognized name. It's not just HBO, there have been many examples it seems recently, as somehow the suggestion to just drop what your customers look for and use something different and worse is a common boardroom thing, and with applause and promotions. It's stupid. It's great for ad and marketing firms I guess, but I'll bet a typical first utterance is:
"Why are they getting rid of their old trademark, it's good."
"Shhh, this is worth a lot to us, let them make their mistakes."
They even anticipated Jon Oliver's response. Jon responded to their anticipation in the episode in a qausi-standoff kind of way.
"[CMO] Spenley also admitted that she couldn’t wait to see how “Last Week Tonight” host John Oliver will mock the name change on his next episode. "
They didn't admit anything ... and chances are it's another tactic to avoid admitting mistakes.
Companies change their legal names in order to skirt or move around and create legal loopholes. Changing your name means you can renegotiate and rearrange past agreements or legal restrictions under the old name. By changing names, you've created a way to dump your old problems and avoid any responsibility.
They changed their name not because they admitted a problem, they changed their name to avoid having to deal with the problem.
You're confusing changing a business name with forming a new corporation.
All that name changing really does is hopefully (from the company's perspective) make people forget how shitty they were under the old name. It's still the same legal entity, though.
Like TWC changing to Spectrum or Comcast to Xfinity.