Scott Ross has taken some flak over the years for his IT company’s name.
It seemed innocuous back in the 1970s when the original founders combined their initials to form TP Systems. But since then, the term “TP” has come to conjure up thoughts of toilet paper in the mainstream consciousness.
“We certainly hear that from time to time, especially in the U.S.,” CEO Ross said.
After determining in March 2013 it needed name change, the company officially rebranded itself Thursday (November 12) as Avocette.
“We wanted a name that reflected where we were going,” Ross said, referring to the bird species, avocet.
But companies are often hesitant to undertake a major rebrand, especially after clients, employees and the general public come to instantly associate a certain name with a produce or service.
Ross said he’d been toying with the idea of a name change on-and-off for years before deciding it was the right time.
Meanwhile, BlueShore Financial, formerly North Shore Credit Union, had a 70-year history with the previous its previous name before a major rebranding effort in September 2013.
In an email, CEO Chris Catliff said instead of rolling out the name change gradually, the company decided to “flip the switch” all at once with a dramatic launch.
“It was the culmination of three years of hard work. We engaged consultants, followed a rigorous methodology to apply our brand “filter” and conducted focus groups within our target market,” he said.
“The ‘BlueShore Financial’ brand was live (on the same day) on all our communications channels — from our website and social media to radio, TV, print and outdoor ads — all to ensure a high-impact launch.”
UpanUp CEO Peter Knapp, who helped lead Avocette’s rebranding efforts, said discussions with clients revealed there wasn’t much attachment to the name TP Systems.
“We wanted to have a name that was going to be able to stand out and kind of be able to build as a brand on its own where people could make a connection to this brand that doesn’t get confused with other ones,” Knapp said.
“So it definitely makes sense to get away from an acronym, where they kind of blend in with everyone else.”
The company has been expanding recently into more U.S. and Canadian markets — one of the reasons Ross believed now to be the right time for a name change — and the CEO said response from employees has been “extremely positive.”
