In era of downsizing, long corporate names get chopped

A new trend of downsizing has more

to do with image than the bottom line

as companies across the country and in

Nevada are cutting down their names.

Nevada-based McDonald Carano

Wilson McCune Bergin Frankovich &

Hicks, LLP, Attorneys at Law is one

firm that has made the decision to

adopt a shorter name. The 50-year-old

law firm now operates as McDonald

Carano Wilson LLP.

"We joke that the decision came

down to losing our receptionist, or cutting

out some of the seven partners listed

in our name," said partner Bud

Hicks, whose name is one of those

being taken out of the firm's title. "We

were finding that many of our clients

referred to us as McDonald Carano

Wilson anyway, and simplifying our

name to make it more 'user-friendly'

would also make it more consistent with

the branding that was already taking

place within the community."

Another firm that has also taken the

shorter approach to name recognition is

the Reno accounting firm of Muckel,

Anderson, Clausen, Behrenz, Lunquist,

and Klaich. It's now known simply as

Muckel Anderson CPA's.

"It was difficult for people to remember

all six names, myself included," said

partner Michael Klaich. "We wanted to

go with something that was not so cumbersome

and was more conducive to

presentation both verbally and visually."

Klaich added that the firm organized a

major branding campaign around the

new name that has been very well

received by clients and the public.

"We're pleased with the results.We

now feel there is a stronger connection

between who we are recognized as and

our actual company and services," said

Klaich.

"Many firms are realizing the marketing

benefits of having a shorter,

more memorable name," said Judy

Strauss, professor of marketing at the

University of Reno, Nevada. "The goal

is to have your name come up first

when a potential consumer considers

your product category, and usually that

is a shorter, more easily spelled and

pronounced name."

With seven of the original partners

in the firm's name, and the issue arising

each time a new partner was added,

McDonald Carano Wilson was perfectly

suited for this trend. But, in order to

achieve the name change successfully,

the firm had to address many issues

including the fact that many of the

partners whose names were being

removed from the title are still active in

the firm.

"Of course, I paid particularly close

attention to how this aspect of the name

change was handled," Hicks said. "We

did not want our clients or the public to

think that the firm was splitting or that

Bergin, Frankovich, and I were leaving.

On the contrary, we wanted to promote

that while our firm and our services

were growing, it was only our name that

was getting smaller. So we carefully

crafted letters, announcement cards and

an advertising campaign to inform our

staff, clients, and the public that the

name change was entirely done for simplicity

and marketing purposes," Hicks

explained.

"A name change requires courage,

commitment, and consistency," said

Strauss. "Changing a name should never

be taken lightly. Research, market tests,

and financial resources must all be considered

in a name change. Many companies

pump millions into building a

brand and in some cases a name change

means nullifying that investment."

Strauss offers tips for other firms

considering shorter names: "Firms

should never think that partners names

need to be in alphabetical or based on

who has the most billable hours. They

should, instead, order the names in the

way that incorporates some of the old

name and is easily spelled and

pronounced."