82: How Braze Mastered the Art of Renaming a Company

Jun 8, 2018

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Renaming a company is no small task. It’s even more challenging when your company is fewer than 10 years old. Marissa Aydlett, Senior Vice President of Marketing for Braze, is Drew’s guest for this episode of Renegade Thinkers Unite. They skillfully unpack the art and science of renaming a company and it’s a conversation you don’t want to miss.

Marissa shares insight into challenges surrounding the renaming process and the subsequent rebranding efforts. There is power behind selecting a name and future direction for your company and it’s not something that should be tackled haphazardly.

Key differences between historical, in the moment, and predictive data are also covered. Knowing how to capture these types of data and use them to your company’s advantage is one of the biggest pieces of advice Marissa has for listeners.

Learn from the renaming journey Braze just completed by listening to this episode of Renegade Thinkers Unite.

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What You’ll Learn

[0:30] Drew introduces his guest for this episode, Marissa Aydlett of Braze
[2:56] The major brand transformation from Appboy to Braze
[7:56] Understanding the true importance of selecting a new name through dedicated research
[10:33] The biggest lessons Marissa’s learned throughout the renaming process
[14:27] So the company has a new name - now what?
[18:06] The medium was the message at Braze’s live promotion events
[21:57] Turning the Braze name into an eponym
[24:40] The future of Braze - where are all of the company’s ideas heading?
[28:21] Historical data vs. in the moment data vs. predictive data
[34:23] The power of first-party data within predictive analytics
[36:39] How to look at your marketing programs beyond the next 6 months

The essentials behind renaming a company

Braze is a customer engagement platform that allows companies to send out personalized messages across a variety of platforms. Formerly known as Appboy, the company began in 2011 and Marissa’s team started the renaming process when the company was only 6 years old. She knew the company needed to be a leader in predicting how people will communicate and interact with each other in both B2B and B2C environments in the future. Achieving this leader status could only come after a renaming process. Marissa shares the following key insights about renaming a company:

Understand that a name could stick with your company forever
A name should be symbolic of your company’s goals and values
Naming a company is a personal experience - be sure to take into account internal and external opinions
Don’t be afraid of seeking third-party advice and support

Have a plan for rebranding efforts after the naming process is complete

All of this advice and more great insights can be found on this episode of Renegade Thinkers Unite.

The power of choosing a great name and how that name can organically become an eponym

The ultimate dream for marketers is universal awareness - the point in time when your brand becomes synonymous with a noun. Having your brand become a verb is an even better case scenario. Think, “I’ll Venmo you the money!” or “I’ll Google it!” Marissa has found that the company name “Braze” is organically becoming an eponym and that organic discovery process is better than any marketing-driven campaign. Her team members are using variations such as “Brazify it!” and that’s quite an exciting process to watch. There’s power in a great name. It could drive the future direction of your company for years to come. You can’t afford to miss the renaming secrets that Drew and Marissa discuss, so be sure to listen.

Being an innovative company is all about fostering personal connections with each customer

Even though a stellar name is a perfect foundation for a company, the company then has to strive to make personal, individualized connections with every customer. That’s where data comes into play. Marissa describes how Braze encourages its clients to use three types of data: historical, in the moment, and predictive. This combination of data gives a company the best chance at knowing what the customers want, when they want it, and why they’re seeking it. She says it’s all about delivering the right message at the right time to the right person. It’s an explanation that’s best heard from the expert, so be sure to listen to Marissa’s conversation with Drew. You won’t regret it.

Connect With Marissa:

Braze’s About Us webpage
Connect with Marissa on LinkedIn
Follow Marissa on Twitter

Resources & People Mentioned

Branding partner company, Lexicon
Episode 65: “The Ups and Downs of Xerox’s Universal Awareness and Shifting Your Brand Perception”
ARTICLE: “Most Innovative Companies - Domino's”

Connect with Drew