From New Coke to Consignia: brands consigned to the dustbin

[TrueBlueTerrier]

From New Coke to Consignia: brands consigned to the dustbin of history http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2011 ... sfeed=true" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

ROYAL MAIL

As the millennium celebrations approached, the Royal Mail, lumbered with a stuffy old crown on its logo, decided it could do with a makeover. After an agonising two-year process of racking its brains and hiring consultants to pep up its image, chief executive John Roberts announced in early 2001 that it would take on a completely new identity – "Consignia".

"The new name describes the full scope of what the Post Office does in a way that the words 'post' and 'office' cannot," he told bemused customers.

Sixteen months later, with its plans to push into overseas markets in tatters, and the meaningless new name a laughing stock, Roberts left, Consignia was consigned to the history books, and Royal Mail bosses hoped the £2m rebranding would be forgotten as soon as possible.

But Keith Wells of the consultancy Dragon Brands, which came up with Consignia, was unrepentant when interviewed by the BBC: "It's got consign in it. It's got a link with insignia, so there is this kind of royalty-ish thing in the back of one's mind. And there's this lovely dictionary definition of consign which is 'to entrust to the care of'. That goes right back to sustaining trust, which was very important."

[NWpostie]

The public prefers a known and trusted brand, hence the case of keeping the name Royal Mail, it should never have been changed, if it works don't fix it.

[scoobydo79]

I said it then and I still say it now.Consignia was going to be the name of the Company shares.it was preparation for our forthcoming privatisation :dcfo

[fishtank]

Con....An instance of deceiving or tricking someone.
Signia..Latin American...meaning sign.

[teesdale]

Keith Wells actually got royal mail to pay him to come up with a word ?. I wonder how long it took him and his team to invent the word. I think the longer it took the more royal mail would have been happy. I bet he submitted a long report and film to go with the single word.

[countyboy]

Keith Wells actually got royal mail to pay him to come up with a word ?. I wonder how long it took him and his team to invent the word. I think the longer it took the more royal mail would have been happy. I bet he submitted a long report and film to go with the single word.

And the rest !!! People make millions out of this sort of crap,,teams of marketing executives having meetings about meetings in between standing around drinking coffee and talking about football that they think was invented in 1990 with the advent of the premier league. ( At weekends they ring 606 as irate man u fan from essex !) Essentially thats why this country is going to the dogs because we dont produce anything anymore apart from hot air,,,I used to have a job like that in another life and I might be a low life postie now but at least its a real job !!!

Sorry,,rant over,,,