SWG Poised for Rebranding - Why We Changed Our Name
“I didn’t want to be the John Eisenhauer show,” explained John Eisenhauer of Mercury Online Solutions at a recent Bainbridge Island Chamber breakfast when someone had asked why he named his company Mercury Online Solutions instead of just after himself, as so many small business owners do.
In a way, that statement sums up why I’m rebranding Super WebGirl – I don’t want it to be the Jane Lindley show - Super WebGirl has become too closely aligned with me. Too often in local newspapers I see statement such as “Super WebGirl (aka Jane Lindley)” does such and such. While Super WebGirl is currently just a two-person company with two subcontractors, we plan to continue to grow as our clients needs grow.
Plus, most potential clients can’t believe that a small company, such as ours, can offer the products and services we do. In fact a friend of mine from Microsoft was blown away when he saw our content management tools. “It’s just the two of you?” he started repeating as he clicked through our software. “You’re really software developers…this is what we’re doing at Microsoft.” Wide-eyed he turned to me after I showed him the custom client area we’re in the process of building “when do you ever sleep?” he asked.
That is the question. We need to grow to survive.
When I started Super WebGirl in 1999, I was thinking of a cross between Tank Girl and Laura Croft – tough but quirky and fun. Programmers were into dungeons and dragons and the web hadn’t become corporate America, it was the wild, wild, web – the more outrageous the better.
Now, although our company name has always got a chuckle or smile, it’s come to our attention that in today’s conservative climate our logo’s super hero outfit is considered a tad revealing instead of fun and adventurous.
So, with two strikes against our company name and logo, I started considering rebranding last January. However, when I mentioned our plans to current clients they were visibly distressed “it’s so memorable” some said, “I love Super WebGirl” others said. “Think of all the one-person brands: Eddie Bauer, Martha Stewart, Mary Kay, Hugo Boss …” still others said.
I was torn, wasn’t that what any company owner wanted? A memorable brand that people loved? But what about the racy super hero outfit (never mind that every Marvel comic book has become a movie recently)? And, the fact that company sounds small? Will that impede growth?
Holy Hat Batman! Is Super WebGirl caught in her own web? Find out in the next issue of Media Index.
In a way, that statement sums up why I’m rebranding Super WebGirl – I don’t want it to be the Jane Lindley show - Super WebGirl has become too closely aligned with me. Too often in local newspapers I see statement such as “Super WebGirl (aka Jane Lindley)” does such and such. While Super WebGirl is currently just a two-person company with two subcontractors, we plan to continue to grow as our clients needs grow.
Plus, most potential clients can’t believe that a small company, such as ours, can offer the products and services we do. In fact a friend of mine from Microsoft was blown away when he saw our content management tools. “It’s just the two of you?” he started repeating as he clicked through our software. “You’re really software developers…this is what we’re doing at Microsoft.” Wide-eyed he turned to me after I showed him the custom client area we’re in the process of building “when do you ever sleep?” he asked.
That is the question. We need to grow to survive.
When I started Super WebGirl in 1999, I was thinking of a cross between Tank Girl and Laura Croft – tough but quirky and fun. Programmers were into dungeons and dragons and the web hadn’t become corporate America, it was the wild, wild, web – the more outrageous the better.
Now, although our company name has always got a chuckle or smile, it’s come to our attention that in today’s conservative climate our logo’s super hero outfit is considered a tad revealing instead of fun and adventurous.
So, with two strikes against our company name and logo, I started considering rebranding last January. However, when I mentioned our plans to current clients they were visibly distressed “it’s so memorable” some said, “I love Super WebGirl” others said. “Think of all the one-person brands: Eddie Bauer, Martha Stewart, Mary Kay, Hugo Boss …” still others said.
I was torn, wasn’t that what any company owner wanted? A memorable brand that people loved? But what about the racy super hero outfit (never mind that every Marvel comic book has become a movie recently)? And, the fact that company sounds small? Will that impede growth?
Holy Hat Batman! Is Super WebGirl caught in her own web? Find out in the next issue of Media Index.
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