Media Contact
Adam Allington
The Campbell Soup Company is making a historic change to its iconic brand name. The company announced on Tuesday that it intends to drop “Soup” from its name and rebrand as “The Campbell’s Company.”
Manoj Thomas
Associate Professor of Marketing at the Cornell SC Johnson College of Business
Manoj Thomas is a professor of marketing at the Cornell SC Johnson College of Business and an expert in consumer behavior. He says it’s not uncommon for companies to evolve their brand names to better reflect an expanded portfolio of offerings.
Thomas says:
“For example, Dunkin' Donuts became simply Dunkin' as it diversified, and Starbucks Coffee streamlined its logo to just Starbucks.
“When making such changes, leadership must consider two key factors. First, will the rebrand affect consumer recognition? If the new branding disrupts how consumers identify products on shelves, it could have negative consequences. Second, does the expanded portfolio align with the brand’s core identity? Offering products that stray too far from consumer expectations can be damaging.
“In the case of Campbell Soup’s shift to Campbell, I don’t see either of these risks. The name change is unlikely to affect consumer perception, but it may signal to employees, retailers, and stakeholders a drive for expansion and growth into new categories.”
