Anti-Branding

I've never liked the word "branding," but I feel as though I have to use it write this post.

Today I learned the organization Be The Match was originally known as the National Marrow Donor Program. They changed the name fairly early in their existence and have spent the years since building up what's called "brand equity" in the new name.

Be The Match is a much catchier name than National Marrow Donor Program, though I suppose you could make an argument that the longer name is clearer and possible better for search engine optimization.

But either one is better than the new name the organization has chosen, according to the story I saw in today's Star Tribune (gift link): 

NMDP. 

If that sounds like a secretive intelligence agency from the Soviet Union, I agree with you.

I guess the organization's focus groups were telling them that 30% of people thought "Be The Match" sounded like a dating service. Also, advances in transplant science have made the need to match exactly less important. And the organization does more than just register people for transplants and find donors.

But in my opinion, none of those are a good reason to change to NMDP specifically. If 30% think it's a dating service, 70% don't think that. 

What do 70% think NMDP is? Numb Dump? They don't think it's anything at all, or they may think it sounds like the aforementioned Soviet intelligence service. Be The Match has spent all these years building awareness and now it's throwing it away.

NMDP also has no SEO, compared to just spelling the name out. Or they could just come up with a new, pronounceable name and then build it up as a brand all over again. That would also make more sense.

Because at least it wouldn't be Numb Dump, the secret police of the bone marrow world.