PORK: THE OTHER WHITE FLU
by Anybody who questions the power of branding won’t need to look any further than the recent outbreak of swine flu to see its influence.
While people around the world are stocking up on surgical masks and health organizations are frantically trying to keep the public calm and distribute vaccines, the pork industry has been hard at work trying to re-brand the name. As countries such as Russia and China restrict U.S. pork imports, and prices for pork futures have dropped, the National Pork Board is doing all it can to change the name of the virus from swine flu to the more scientific H1N1.
H1N1?
That’s not very catchy. I don’t blame the pork board for trying – apparently the swine flu is an airborne, human-to-human virus, and not brought on by slapping a few pieces of bacon on an otherwise naked burger. But I’m not sure this particular re-branding effort will make much difference. Part of branding is creating a vehicle that is memorable and easily recognizable. ‘Swine flu’ just kind of rolls off the tongue. H1N1 doesn’t. Rather than try and change the name, I think the porky powers-that-be should be concentrating their crises PR efforts on public education so that consumers understand that they can eat their sausages in peace. Even if the new name sticks, the ’swine flu’ name will always be a close association – people have short memories, but not that short.
Maybe the effort to change the name is just a brilliant approach to helping that education process – if so, then hats off to the PR people. But if it’s a genuine attempt to re-brand a virus, that’s not a worthwhile effort. True brand building is the development of trust, and name changes alone only mask the problem – they don’t fix it.
LIKE THIS POST? PLEASE REMEMBER TO SHARE IT!
Popularity: 1% [?]
Well, i most certainly will not give up bacon. The virus is indeed airborne! You’re right, H1N1 simply doesnt have the same catchy ring. Remember RU486? I bet not…thats the actual name of the morning after pill (originated in France and made available in the U.S. by prescription to prevent unwanted pregnancy). But i sincerely doubt RU486 is as catchy a brand name as “the morning after pill”. Maybe they should change the swine flu name to “panic pandemic” Try saying THAT 3x fast!!