A product’s name is its first and most important piece of marketing. A bad name can make a product sound unappetizing or confusing. This can cause it to fail, even if the product itself is excellent. Over the years, many companies have launched a product that has flopped, only to re-launch the same product with a new name and a new marketing campaign. Here are ten grocery products that became a massive success, but only after they changed their name.
1. Dannon Yogurt
In the 1940s, the company’s founder, Daniel Carasso, started selling his yogurt in the U.S. He initially sold it under the brand name “Dannon’s.” This was a name that he had used in Europe. However, American consumers were confused by the possessive “s.” They thought it was a family name. The company made a simple change. They dropped the “s” and relaunched the product as “Dannon,” and sales began to take off.
2. Pibb Xtra
The Coca-Cola Company originally launched its Dr. Pepper competitor in 1972 under the name “Mr. Pibb.” For decades, the brand struggled to gain a major foothold. In 2001, the company reformulated the drink with a new, bolder flavor. They relaunched it with the edgier, more modern name “Pibb Xtra.” This rebrand helped to reset the product’s image and has been its identity ever since.
3. Edy’s Pie (formerly Eskimo Pie)
This is a very recent and very significant name change. The “Eskimo Pie,” a chocolate-covered vanilla ice cream bar, was an American classic for nearly 100 years. However, the name “Eskimo” is a derogatory and outdated term for the Inuit and Yupik peoples. In 2021, the parent company, Dreyer’s, rebranded the product. It is now sold as the “Edy’s Pie” in the West and the “Dreyer’s Pie” in the East.
4. Nesquik
For most of its life, the popular chocolate milk powder was known as “Nestlé Quik.” It was a simple, descriptive name that was very popular with children. In 1999, Nestlé made a major global marketing move. They rebranded the product to “Nesquik.” This was done to align the American product with the name that was already being used in the rest of the world. It created a single, unified global brand.
5. Sierra Mist (as Starry)
This is a very recent and very high-profile example. The lemon-lime soda Sierra Mist was a popular brand for over two decades. However, it was always a distant third in the market, behind Sprite and 7 Up. In 2023, the parent company, PepsiCo, made a bold move. They completely discontinued the Sierra Mist brand. They then re-launched a new, reformulated lemon-lime soda under the name “Starry” to try and capture the Gen Z market.
6. Uncle Ben’s Rice
This name change was not due to poor sales, but to a major cultural shift. For decades, the “Uncle Ben’s” brand of rice was criticized for its use of a racial stereotype in its name and its logo. In 2020, in the wake of the global protests for racial justice, the parent company, Mars, made a change. They rebranded the product as “Ben’s Original” and removed the problematic imagery.
7. Aunt Jemima
This is another famous example of a name change that was driven by a major cultural shift. The “Aunt Jemima” brand of pancake mix and syrup was, like Uncle Ben’s, based on a harmful, racist stereotype. In response to public pressure, the parent company, Quaker Oats, retired the 130-year-old brand name in 2021. The product is now sold under the new name, “Pearl Milling Company.”
8. Prunes (as “Dried Plums”)
The prune industry was facing a major sales crisis for decades. The product had a strong, negative association with elderly people and with digestive problems. To combat this, the industry successfully petitioned the FDA to change the official name of the product. In 2001, “prunes” were officially allowed to be marketed under the much more appealing and the more modern name, “dried plums.”
9. M&M’s
M&M’s are one of the most famous candies in the world. However, when they were first sold in the U.S. in 1941, they were not a huge hit. The candy was originally sold in a cardboard tube, and the colors were not very vibrant. It was not until the 1950s, when the company added the iconic “M” to the candy and launched the “Melts in your mouth, not in your hand” slogan, that the brand became a massive success.
10. SunnyD
The orange-flavored drink “Sunny Delight” was a massive sensation in the 1990s. However, the brand later faced a major backlash over its high sugar content. It was also the subject of negative press. To refresh its image and to appeal to a new, younger generation, the company rebranded. It shortened the name to the cooler, more modern “SunnyD,” which is the name it still uses today.
The Power of a Name
These ten examples are a powerful lesson in the importance of marketing and branding. The name of a product is not just a simple label; it is a story. It is a promise. A product with a bad or confusing name is a product that has failed its first and most important test. The success of these rebranded products shows that a simple name change can be the difference between a major flop and a legendary, multi-billion-dollar brand.
What is your favorite brand name change of all time? Is there a product that you think has a terrible name and needs to be rebranded? Let us know!
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