Redesigning a logo is common practice — and for good reason. When a well-known brand updates its visual identity, it knows the resulting press coverage will do more to build awareness than almost any paid campaign could. This is why so many familiar brands have reshaped their logos, and sometimes their names, over the years. Take Pepsi as an example: its logo has evolved dramatically across more than a century of branding history.
What most people don’t realize is that Pepsi didn’t start out as Pepsi at all. The drink’s original name was Brad’s Drink, named after its creator, pharmacist Caleb Bradham. It wasn’t until 1898 that the name was changed to Pepsi-Cola — and today, few people even know the original name existed.
The same is true of other brands we consider iconic. Few people know that Adidas and Puma both trace back to a single company called Gebrüder Dassler — German for “Dassler Brothers.” When the two founding brothers split ways, each built his own brand from the ground up: one became Adidas, the other Puma. Likewise, Nike began life as Blue Ribbon Sports, and Reebok started as J.W. Foster and Sons.
Even the biggest names in tech aren’t exempt. You likely found this article through a Google search — but Google’s original name was BackRub, a reference to the “backlink” technology behind its search algorithm. And the app you probably open every day, Instagram, launched under the name Burbn.
The lesson in all of this is simple: a name is not permanent, and it doesn’t have to be perfect from day one. Some of the world’s most recognizable brands started with names that no longer exist — and outgrew them on the way to becoming what they are today. So if your current brand name isn’t serving you the way you need it to, don’t be afraid to change it.
If you’re considering a rebrand, get in touch — I’d be glad to help.