WordPress: An Example of Bad Branding?
Some people believe in branding everything with your name, whether it's your own name or corporate name. Take Virgin, for example, with Virgin Airlines, Virgin Mobile, etc. I think there's even a Virgin Cola.
But, you'll note that all of those have an identifier along with the brand. So, you know there's a difference between Virgin Mobile and Virgin Airlines, but all products/services can take advantage of the well-known Virgin name, especially when a new product or service is introduced.
I would consider that an example of good branding. The brand helps sell the product because you recognize the brand.
With that in mind, is WordPress an example of bad branding? It seems to me that people often confuse WordPress with WordPress. That is, they confuse WordPress the blog hosting service (wordpress.com) with WordPress the blog software (wordpress.org).
People are often advised to get a WordPress blog. Often, what people offering that advice are talking about is the blog software (wordpress.org). But, of course, people will gravitate to the .COM and end up getting a free blog there.
Consider GoinDeep's recent post about WordPress shutting down his commercial blog. Now, if he wasn't a WF member and posted about it here, he might not have found out about WordPress the blog software. Instead, he might have been left with a bad taste in his mouth for WordPress, and stayed away from it in the future.
When I recommend WordPress, I never even think of WordPress the blog hosting service. I've never used it, and it's not something that really crosses my mind. I'm sure others are the same way.
I suppose it could be argued that we should be clearer about which WordPress we are talking about but, really, isn't that the brand's responsibility to differentiate itself in the marketplace?
So, is WordPress an example of bad or misused branding?
But, you'll note that all of those have an identifier along with the brand. So, you know there's a difference between Virgin Mobile and Virgin Airlines, but all products/services can take advantage of the well-known Virgin name, especially when a new product or service is introduced.
I would consider that an example of good branding. The brand helps sell the product because you recognize the brand.
With that in mind, is WordPress an example of bad branding? It seems to me that people often confuse WordPress with WordPress. That is, they confuse WordPress the blog hosting service (wordpress.com) with WordPress the blog software (wordpress.org).
People are often advised to get a WordPress blog. Often, what people offering that advice are talking about is the blog software (wordpress.org). But, of course, people will gravitate to the .COM and end up getting a free blog there.
Consider GoinDeep's recent post about WordPress shutting down his commercial blog. Now, if he wasn't a WF member and posted about it here, he might not have found out about WordPress the blog software. Instead, he might have been left with a bad taste in his mouth for WordPress, and stayed away from it in the future.
When I recommend WordPress, I never even think of WordPress the blog hosting service. I've never used it, and it's not something that really crosses my mind. I'm sure others are the same way.
I suppose it could be argued that we should be clearer about which WordPress we are talking about but, really, isn't that the brand's responsibility to differentiate itself in the marketplace?
So, is WordPress an example of bad or misused branding?
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