By Joe Smyth
CEO
Independent Newspapers, Inc.
We’ve talked for years about the possibility of changing our corporate name to something other than “Independent Newspapers, Inc.”
We haven’t felt very urgent about it because we feel that our product branding --- the names of our individual products --- is much more important. Promoting the individual products will continue to take priority over promoting the corporate name.
Still, the corporate name is important to our own people and for recruiting new employees. And Independent Newspapers, Inc. no longer fits us very well since we now have online products and services, special sections, other print products and printing operations in addition to newspapers.
We’re still independent --- and dedicated to staying independent --- so that part of our name is fitting and worth retaining. We would also prefer to retain “INI”, since it is a popular “shortcut” for our full name.
Our board of directors is considering changing the “Newspapers” in our name to “Newsmedia”, so the new name would be “Independent Newsmedia Inc.” At the same time, we could add a new positioning line under the name, so our corporate identity might look something like this:
Independent Newsmedia Inc.
Printing/Publications/Websites
Please email me at joesmyth@aol.com to let me know if you think we’re on the right track and whether you like the proposed new corporate name and slogan. And be sure to let me know if you have alternative suggestions. Thanks!
(Joe Smyth is the board chair & CEO of Independent Newspapers, Inc. He can be reached at JoeSmyth@aol.com)
