What's in a Name? Everything!

You've probably seen or heard the latest marketing news about a brand's name change. To be honest, the brand simply shortened its name. No, this news is not about Dunkin, which dropped the word "Donuts" from its name back in September of 2018 (read my blog post by clicking here). The latest news is about a beverage brand: Jamba Juice has become Jamba.

According to the company's press release:

Jamba Juice started out in San Luis Obispo, CA in 1990, as a little juice shop with a big idea: that eating better should be easy. For nearly 30 years, Jamba Juice has led the way in creating and defining the smoothie and juice category as we know it. Now, as the category continues to mature and grow, Jamba Juice is ready to evolve to stay one step ahead.

Starting June 6, Jamba Juice is simplifying its name to ‘Jamba’ with the tagline ‘Smoothies, Juices and Bowls’ to reflect its wider array of offerings. It’s one of many steps to support the brand’s renewed commitment to more balanced ingredients that will include expanded plant-based options and reduced sugar selections among other innovations. The brand is also launching new store designs, improved digital platforms, and upgrading the in-store experience to delight guests, all while offering the convenience of delicious goodness in a cup at an everyday value.

“We’ve been offering balanced ingredients on the go for almost 30 years and must continue to evolve to meet our guests’ ever-changing definition of wellness,” explained Jamba’s President Geoff Henry. “We’re staying true to our heritage as an innovator in the space and refreshing the brand to stay focused on how we can make it easier, better, and faster for guests to live a more active lifestyle. We’re proud to have launched the smoothie and juice category three decades ago and can’t wait to join our guests’ wellness journey for decades to come.”

The press release continued, "Loyal fans have been calling us Jamba for years, but the name change officially kicks off today with updates to our website and menus. Guests can expect to see new packaging and store signage beginning later this summer...The new logo and whirl is a modern interpretation of our classic Jamba logo and features clean, handwritten script, new emerald green brand color and our evolved “Whirl” that draws from the beautiful hues of the fruits and vegetables we use every day."

And to improve the brand's digital footprint, "Jamba is revamping its e-commerce platform to be more responsive, easier to access, and faster than ever. Jamba is releasing an all new mobile-friendly website and mobile app geared to the on-the-go guest who is looking to access Jamba anywhere. The new app, available for iOS and Android, has been built from the ground up to include the customization and personalization features that our guests have been asking for, including order ahead capabilities, nutritional preferences, integrated gift cards, and an all new loyalty program powered by the Punchh platform. Jamba is making our guests’ on-the-go wellness journey even more rewarding than ever before."

What are some key take-aways of this brand transformation? The name emphasis on juice and beverages may be gone, but the possibility for new products looms on the horizon. And it is clear from everything the top leadership team has said that the brand values its fan base and understands its passion for its products. But a name change is still a name change - just think back to the surprise name change by IHOP last year, when it changed its name to IHOB to shift its emphasis from pancakes to hamburgers.

So, what branding lessons can your brand learn from the Jamba name change?

Image Credit: Jamba.