What company name should a merged Microsoft/Yahoo have?
Written By Joe on Feb. 1, 2008.
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I saw in the news this morning that Microsoft has made a bid to buy Yahoo!.
This type of merger will take some time and will require not only shareholder approval but also government blessing. So they have plenty of time to think about a new company name.
Since a company's name is such an integral part of its brand, a merger can really play tricks with customers' name recognition and perceptions of a company.
My guess is that the new name will be something conservative that preserves name recognition for both companies. For example something boring like: Microsoft Yahoo!
Of course they could use something exciting like MicroYahoo! Or WeWantToBeBetterThanGoogle.
What do you think the new Microsoft/Yahoo company should be called?
Scrivs
Written Feb. 1, 2008 / Report /
Microo or Yacosoft.
RightOn
Written Feb. 1, 2008 / Report /
I like the Yacosoft one ;)
nubloo
Written Feb. 1, 2008 / Report /
Since we're talking about Microsoft acquiring Yahoo, I'm sure the company names will remain as-is. Only because Yahoo has a new major shareholder, it won't be changing their valuable brand name (worth $14.1bn in 2006).
Microsoft, by the way, overhauled Coca-Cola in the list of the most valuable brand names in the world and was worth $62bn in 2006. They won't change a thing either.
Possibly, Yahoo services will be co-branded with a "powered by Microsoft" badge or such. For starters, that is. Looking at their actual single-brand marketing strategy (buy a venture and implement it in the brand), they could merge Yahoo email with Hotmail and Yahoo search with Live search, possibly getting rid of the Yahoo brand over the next decade.
Mike
Written Feb. 1, 2008 / Report /
You 'R Soft & Micro.
Heliophage
Written Feb. 1, 2008 / Report /
Microhoo
fuscom
Written Feb. 2, 2008 / Report /
Ohmyfiasco
Ozone42
Written Feb. 2, 2008 / Report /
Microsoft buying yahoo is not really any sort of merger, just an acquisition.
Sebastiano
Written Feb. 2, 2008 / Report /
I think YaMi is a nice name
carmodyarc
Written Feb. 2, 2008 / Report /
WindowsWillNowIncludeNeedlessWebappsPoweredByYahooAndFueledByIncompetence-r
It's trendy because it has the r at the end.
Sebastiano
Written Feb. 2, 2008 / Report /
LOL at carmodyarc. I like the shortness of your name, but is suitable,since Microsoft really doesn't need Yahoo! and Yahoo should migrate with Microsoft since the are a nostalgic company on the web.....
shadowsun7
Written Feb. 2, 2008 / Report /
TheNextFailure.inc
It will never work. With such huge differences in corporate structure and culture they'll be having a hell of a time trying to get everything working together. By the time they do that Google will be even further ahead.
I remember reading a story about Michael Dell during the HP-Compaq merger. Everyone was pressuring him to do a merger like HP, but he stayed fast and no. For a few months HP-Compaq beat Dell, but then the merging started taking its toll, and Dell soared ahead.
Dell is still ahead, last I checked. Michael laughed all the way to the bank.
Who benefits here? Sergey-Brin-Larry-Page-Jobs.
inadvertentgardener
Written Feb. 2, 2008 / Report /
Carmodyarc, you crack me up. And Heliophage, you beat me to my idea. :-) I would only revise it to be Microhoo!
theadmad
Written Mar. 4, 2008 / Report /
Microhood!
oh no...wait.... :P
PixlNinja
Written Mar. 5, 2008 / Report /
am with shadowsun7.
I like his suggestion: TheNextFailure .Inc
'coz Microsoft doesnt know how to manage a community based site.. See the soapbox.. Do you know that ?
LordSnooty
Written Mar. 6, 2008 / Report /
Gorilla?
(as in 500 pound..)
wrttnwrd
Written Mar. 11, 2008 / Report /
Moo!
or
Microsoft!