| Companies will pay huge amounts of money to | | | | popular American institution, McDonalds. Although |
| hire advertising agencies and other business to | | | | they would be hesitant to admit it, McDonalds |
| help they rebrand and recreate their image. Many | | | | started to radically change their image because of |
| times a company will want to rebrand their image | | | | a little documentary that opened in 2004 called |
| because of a major, much publicized snafu or | | | | “Super Size Me.” In this documentary |
| maybe even negative publicity that wasn’t | | | | director Morgan Spurlock eats McDonalds every |
| their fault. No matter what the issue is, companies | | | | day for 30 days and documents the changes. One |
| pay big money other business to help them | | | | of his rules is that he has to Supersize his meal |
| change their image because in our culture, image | | | | combo anytime that the cashier asks him if |
| is everything. You could be a wonderful company | | | | he’d like to. Because of the bad publicity this |
| with a great commodity to sell but if your | | | | caused, after the movie was released McDonalds |
| reputation and image is tarnished, no one will buy | | | | slashed the supersize option from all of their |
| it. | | | | stores. This was a huge blow to the company but |
| | | | it was also the impetus for McDonalds to rebrand |
| There was a great example of this on the show | | | | themselves and in the years since they have |
| “Mad Men,” which revolves around an | | | | reemerged as a healthier chain restaurant with a |
| advertising agency in the 1970s, where a dog | | | | variety of salads and other healthier options. No |
| food company came to the agency for help in | | | | only that, but in the past McDonalds was seen as |
| rebranding their image that was tarnished when it | | | | the food of the working class, low-brow, |
| was revealed that the dog food is made out of | | | | disgusting. Today, you have Paris fashion models |
| horse meat. The dog food was shown to be | | | | sneaking McDonalds meals and celebrities boasting |
| popular among consumers and dogs until it was | | | | their love of McDonalds fries. |
| revealed that the dog food they were eating was | | | | |
| of this tarnished company’s brand. The CEO | | | | Target is another store that has a similar story of |
| of this company wanted the agency to do | | | | rebranding. In the late 90s Target was seen as a |
| everything they could to change their image but | | | | peer of Wal-Mart or K-Mart, another somewhat |
| they were not allowed to change the name. After | | | | low-brow, low-priced one stop clothing and toy |
| much testing and research the ad agency told the | | | | shop. Today Target is seen as a slightly more |
| CEO that she had to change the name, it was the | | | | upscale version of a Wal-Mart, with a very popular |
| only they could do to turn her companies | | | | clothing section with unique brands and designs by |
| reputation around; to start over. | | | | some of the most famous clothing designers in |
| | | | the world. Target clothing isn’t seen as |
| Few companies have to go to the extreme of | | | | embarrassing anymore, and neither are their |
| completely changing their name, but others like | | | | products. Target has linked deals with |
| FedEx, which used to be Federal Express, | | | | top-of-the-line food, patio furniture set and |
| changed their name because of perceived notions | | | | electronics manufacturers to sell their products |
| of the word “federal” in new markets | | | | only in Target stores. These are just a few of |
| they were trying to reach. A great example of a | | | | the examples of successful rebranding by big |
| company that has done a remarkable, almost | | | | name companies. |
| unbelievable job of rebranding their image is the | | | | |